Harry Potter & The Runic Affinity
by HeWhoEscapesReality
Summary: Following his fifth year, Harry finds himself depressed in self-induced guilt over Sirius' death, subconsciously altering the wards surrounding Privet Drive, forcing Dumbledore to move him to Headquarters. Acting upon a hunch, Dumbledore sends Hermione to be with Harry to help him get over his grief... and discover a magic long forgotten: a unique runic system to cast spells. H/HG.
1. Complications

**Harry Potter & The Runic Affinity**

Author's Note: This idea's been floating around my head for a while. I should be doing other, more productive stuff, but whatever. I am writing cause it allows me to distract myself from my real life which currently sucks massively. I've just changed my Pen name from Matimac to this one, by the way. Feel free to drop a review if you want to, if you don't that's cool too. I don't mind. Like any other story I will publish in the future, this one comes from a simple case of "What if." I like to swear quite a bit so if that's not your cup of tea, you can see yourself out. I change a few of the things from the way they happened, so everything after OOTP is sort of Alternate Univere-ish. I may have changed some minor things that happened at the DoM, you'll see. This is gonna be a long-ass story by the looks of it and if that isn't your slice of cake you can take that cup of tea I mentioned and also GTFO.

Also, this is not beta'd. I don't have a beta – not sure if I even need one. Do let me know.

**PSA: I highly recommend that you read this story in ¾ or ½ width (there should be an option at the top of the page under the summary) as I format and paragraph it in a way to make it pleasant to read using those settings.**

Disclaimer: I own nothing. It's J.K. Rowling's sandbox and I'm just playing around in it.

* * *

**Chapter 1: Complications.**

A figure sat curled on the thin sheets of a bed in the cold of the night at Number 4, Privet Drive. Harry Potter was officially depressed. He had sat there for hours now, unmoving. His tears had stopped running what seemed like days ago, resulting in him staring blankly ahead across his room. The cold wall supported his now numb back and his knees were pulled as close to his chin as possible. To his chest he clutched the mirror Sirius had given him… The mirror he wished he had thought of using before rushing off to the ministry like the fool that he was. _'Why… Oh God why didn't I just listen to Hermione… I'm such a fucking idiot… Why… I'm sorry… So sorry, Sirius…' _Just as Harry thought he had no more tears to cry a single tear made its way down from his right eye past his cheekbone, down his cheek to his chin where it dropped onto his hand. The tormented teenager slowly blinked and looked downwards; at the mirror he'd been holding his chest for Merlin knows how long. He had lost all track of time ever since he had reached Privet Drive and couldn't remember the last time had eaten any food. His dull and lifeless green eyes picked up on the tray his aunt must've pushed through the cat door some time ago. Feeling his stomach rumbling and almost hearing a stern Hermione reprimanding him in the back of his mind for not taking care of himself, he slowly stretched his legs out and groaned at the pain that his stiff joints and muscles caused him given that he had hardly used them in recent memory.

As he stood to his full height and cracked his back, he froze. _'Hermione.'_ The thought of her caused him almost collapse under another wave of self-induced loathing and depression. It didn't take long for the events at the ministry to flash before his closed eyes. Caught up in his own grief his mind forced himself to live through the events in excruciating slow motion, his guilt forcing his inner eye to stay open as he saw Dolohov hit Hermione right in the chest with whatever dark, vile, spell he had thought of in the heat of the moment. He could clearly see the impact cause her to momentarily stiffen before her upper body reacted and twisted to the side and he could already see some blood stain her shirt from the point of impact. _'That was my fault as well... What… What if Dolohov had used a different spell, what if Hermione hadn't made it out… Why can I ever get anything right? Why is it that all I'm good at is causing others pain?' _These thoughts plagued the young man as he awkwardly moved towards the door of his small bedroom to retrieve the plate of stale toast and cheese that had seen fresher days.

It had been hard enough at the end of the school year to keep it together and not sit around moping. No, he couldn't do that to his friends. So instead Harry had put on his bravest face and had done his best to cope with his fate. Most people had bought his façade – a rather pathetic charade now that he thought about it. He knew Dumbledore hadn't. Another pang of guilt shot through Harry as he remembered that he had absolutely thrashed the Headmaster's office. But Dumbledore understood. He saw it in the elderly wizard's eyes, and understanding for the grief and pain that Harry was going through. If it hadn't been bad enough that Sirius had died, he had seen Hermione suffer from grievous injury, had casted an Unforgivable Curse on Sirius' murderer Bellatrix on top of learning that he carried the world's fate on his shoulder, _'"for neither can live while the other survives." Great, so it's either kill or be killed. Murder or be murdered. Just what I needed. How… how will I tell them? How will I tell Hermione? "Yeah Hermione, how're your holidays so far? Ah yeah, you just recovered from a severe injury that I'm responsible for? Ah bugger, well at least you're fine now. Mhm yeah I'm doing just fine, just found out I gotta face the strongest Dark Wizard since Dumbledore's prime years sooner or later and must succeed in fighting him otherwise I die, it's been determined to be this way by higher powers. Yeah, no, everything's fucking peachy aside from that. Have you heard from Ron?..." Yeah that'll go down real well.'_

He could already predict her reaction. First, disbelief. She would not simply accept that it'd have to be him to finish Voldemort off. Second, denial. She'd start talking about how there are dozens of undefined and open factors and argue that Divination and prophecies are all rubbish anyway. Third, fear and sadness. _'When I point out that Voldemort marked me with this hideous scar as a child she'll tear up and fear for me.' _Fourth… rejection. _'She'll probably freak out and then distance herself from me. After all, who would want to be friends with someone destined to most likely die?' _Or, would she? Harry reminded himself that this wasn't just _any_ witch he was talking about. This was Hermione Jane Granger, his best friend and smartest witch of their generation – fiercely loyal with an intellect to rival that of Dumbledore himself and magical ability that left him sometimes wondering if she'd taken her N.E.W.T exams already in secret.

Harry ate quietly but quickly at his desk. The bread and cheese had no taste as far as he was concerned and neither did the glass of water as his thoughts were far away from Privet Drive. Wishing he wasn't here his thoughts drifted to last year when he had spent the majority of his summer at Grimmauld Place. Sirius had been there as well as the Weasleys, Remus, Tonks, Hermione… it had been a lot of fun despite the circumstances. With the Daily Prophet slandering him and Dumbledore the start of school had been terrible but his time at the Black Family home had been joyous nonetheless. For the first time in his life he had felt… at home. Wiping another stray tear from his eye Harry tried to not think about how he felt secure when Sirius had hugged him in greeting – for the first time in his life he had felt at home somewhere, somewhere that wasn't Hogwarts.

As Harry thought those thoughts and wished he was at Grimmauld place even if it was just to feel closer to Sirius, he could feel something happen. Bespectacled green eyes shot around the room trying to identify what had changed but he could make out no visible difference in the room. Yet there had been a definite feeling of magic in the air for a short moment. Shrugging it off Harry contemplated going to sleep yet he knew he would find no peace in the land of dreams, no, instead he was more likely to torment himself into nightmares of things he wished to forget. Looking around his small bedroom his eyes landed on his trunk. _'Well, I guess it's something to do. Better than nothing.' _And so he got up with a resolute grunt and began to unpack his books to do some homework. _'Nothing like a bit of Potions to get my mind off things…'_

* * *

_Meanwhile at Hogwarts…_

Albus Dumbledore sat in his comfortable leather cushioned chair, one leg crossed over the other. It had been a few days since the students had returned home and he had spent the better part of the day fixing the rest of the destruction his most problematic student had caused in his office which he couldn't find the time for to repair earlier. He had tried to unwind in the past few days and relax as much as he could. It had been a very strenuous year full of drama and developments and he most certainly did not foresee this summer vacation to be any calmer, so the elderly Headmaster tried to relax whenever he could. With the ministry finally acknowledging Voldemort's return he could start being more active with the Order in moving against his old time student Tom Riddle who would surely start making his move now that he was under more time pressure. The more time Tom wasted, the better. The longer Dumbledore had to prepare Harry for what was his most unfortunate destiny and the more time the Ministry had to stabilize and prepare forces against the Dark Lord, the better.

In hindsight, Dumbledore had been quite cross with himself. His attempts to "protect" Harry from Tom had greatly fired backwards. The attempts at distancing himself from Harry had achieved the exact opposite of what he had aimed for and his reluctance to at least inform Harry of the existence of the prophecy, not necessarily what it contained, had directly contributed to the death of Sirius Black, the only real remaining part of whatever family Harry could relate to. Harry's rage had been quite understandable. In fact, Albus considered himself quite lucky that Harry hadn't raised his wand against him in his grief-induced rampage through his office. In addition to that, Dumbledore was quite proud of Harry for doing his best to cope with his feelings and trying his best to not drag his friends and people around him into his own depression. To Albus it was quite obvious that Harry hadn't sincerely put Sirius' death behind him but that was understandable. He could see the pain in the tormented boy's eyes, a torment he himself had suffered several times in his odd 150 years or so. It would take time for Harry to get over it and he needed to grieve properly to do so.

'_I owe him a lot,' _Dumbledore thought, _'without him I wouldn't have an idea about the Horcruxes. Without him all hope would be lost. I should see to it that he can at least enjoy this Summer somewhat and help him get over the loss of his Godfather… I'm going to have to look into scheduling a memorial… and I'm going to have to talk to that buffoon that dares call himself our Minister of Magic. I must speak to Minerva as well about the upcoming year… It is imperative that I begin preparing Harry.'_

As Dumbledore wielded his Elder Wand and flicked it at a blackboard off to the side to make a note of his thoughts on his to-do list, a shrill sound pierced the otherwise silent office and caused him to freeze as he reached for his cup of tea.

With dexterity rarely seen in men of his age, the Headmaster quickly crossed his office to one of the shelves off to the side which held a few silver instruments. There were three that pertained to Harry – one that monitored his vital signs, one that monitored the wards around Privet Drive and one was linked into the wards to detect any foreign magic cast.

The small silver instrument that monitored the wards around Privet Drive was a small silver pendulum swinging from one side to the other encased in a triangular glass case. As Dumbledore reached the device the swinging stopped but the sound it emitted did not. After a moment the sounds stopped too. As Dumbledore feared the worse, the device emitted a low humming sound and the pendulum started swinging again but this time not from side to side, but instead it began swinging in a circular pattern. This continued for a minute before the pendulum smoothly transitioned into swinging from left to right again as if nothing had ever happened. The sound faded and the Headmaster was left in his office in near silence with only the only occasional cracking heard from the fireplace in the background.

Dumbledore slowly made his way back to his chair and sat down. _'Well that was unexpected… but I guess it was something that could not have been avoided given the nature of Harry's… caretakers and his current mental state. It would appear that this night is far from over, old chap.'_

And so he got up again, wandlessly summoned his cloak and hat and prepared to apparate. It would appear that he needed to pay Grimmauld Place a visit before making his way to Harry.

* * *

Things at Grimmauld Place were tense at best. There were only two people living in the rather large house currently. Said people currently sat in the kitchen opposite each other, unable to look another in the eyes. Remus and Tonks had somewhat awkwardly made it through dinner. Earlier in the day Remus had made it clear to her that he couldn't be with her. Despite what she said, he'd been adamant and it had hurt her. Bad. She couldn't understand how he could be so hard on himself.

"I'm not right for you, Tonks. I'm not good enough for you. I'm old, I'm piss poor and to top it off I'm a dangerous, Class 5 restricted murderous beast that could rip you in half if provoked. I can't put you through that Tonks, I couldn't live with the knowledge that I put you into such danger…" He had said to her. She had yelled at him to stop being daft, to stop pushing her away. Yet, he had not given in. And now, suffice to say, things were so awkward that they hadn't spoken a single word to each other since she had stormed out of the room in tears.

'_So close yet so far away…' _She thought as she watched Remus flick his wand a few times to command the plates to clean themselves and stack themselves back into the shelves. _'I should say something, I'm sure he's feeling terrible about earlier… maybe I should-' _Unfortunately for her, her train of thought was interrupted as a pop sounded through the kitchen and Albus Dumbledore himself manifested in the middle of the room. Neither Remus nor Tonks said a word but stared at him in disbelief – they had been under the impression that one could not simply apparate into Grimmauld Place and that one could only access it via the Floo if given the secret to its location or travel to the outside and enter through the front door after having been granted entry by the secret keeper.

Dumbledore's gaze fell upon the two sitting across from each other at the kitchen table and he frowned for a moment. The tension in the room was palpable and neither of the two appeared to be in an uplifting mood, which was exactly the opposite of what he had expected when he had made his way here. He knew both of them were still grieving for Sirius but had an easier time accepting his passing than Harry would.

"Good evening Remus, Nymphadora." He stated with a small wave before conjuring himself a chair comfortable enough for his tall frame and sat down at the head of the table, close to the two. Seeing that all he was going to get from the two was a nod in return, he continued, "We have a… situation."

Remus immediately had a panicked look on his face. "What is it? Is it Harry? Is he alright? Did something happen?" He had just lost his only remaining Marauder brother, he prayed that he wouldn't lose Harry as well.

Albus of course shook his head slowly. "No, nothing's happened to Harry. Well, nothing terrible. And whether he's fine is something I find myself being only able to answer in relative – physically he's fine and well but I fear his mental and emotional state may not be quite that what he had attempted to portray at the end of the school year."

"He seemed fine when we saw him at the platform…" Tonks added, not sure where Albus was going with this. _'I hope he's got something for me to do… any distraction from this would be much appreciated.'_

Remus nodded his agreement.

"Yes, he seemed fine. Alas, I am afraid he is not. It is quite blatant to me that he is far more caught up in his pain than he let on. Harry blames himself and only himself. With the weight of the prophecy weighing upon his shoulders as well now, I am quite amazed that he has managed to portray himself as calm and composed and hasn't snapped yet."

Tonks nodded slowly – this she could understand. Guilt had been a constant companion for her as well since the debacle at the ministry. If only she had managed to subdue or distract Bellatrix for longer then maybe Sirius would still be with them.

"If nothing's happened to Harry then what brings you here tonight Albus? Surely there hasn't been an attack yet? I recall you saying that Voldemort will be spending a good time licking his wounds and preparing himself now that his return has been recognized nationally." Remus asked, having calmed down from the initial wave of panic.

"Quite indeed Remus, I doubt Voldemort will be making his next move for a while. As it turns out, something _has_ happened to Harry. Young Mister Potter has, quite amazingly, managed to break the protections around Privet Drive, something which I assume happened due to his sadness over Sirius. The wards will only manifest themselves around whichever place Harry considers to be his home – aside from Hogwarts that is. As it seems, Harry has considered this place his home after last year… quite understandable really, given that he had spent a very entertaining summer here last here with Sirius and his friends." The elderly wizard explained after popping a lemon drop into his mouth and leaning back in his chair.

It took Remus and Tonks a moment to absorb the new information and process it. "So you're saying the protections around Privet Drive are now… here? At Grimmauld Place?" Tonks asked for clarification. As Dumbledore nodded she continued, "so that means that Harry is currently unprotected! We have to retrieve him immediately then, let me get my cloak and broom-" Albus cut her off with a calming hand gesture and a small smile at her immediately getting worked up over Harry's safety.

"Do not worry Miss Tonks, for he is not entirely unprotected. The wards are still in the process of moving and even if they were to be torn down entirely right at this very moment it is not as if dozens of Death Eaters would suddenly swarm to Surrey. No, I have ensured that there is no public record of Mister Potter's whereabouts and the only references to any places of residence of his are very vague and would certainly not lead to his capture, at least no immediately." The Headmaster reassured as he poured himself a cup of tea that he had seemingly grabbed out of nowhere as he explained the situation. He slowly drank from his cup as he observed the two Order members take in the information he had given them, yet he could still see that the two of them were incapable of looking at each other at all. This caused him to frown once more – he honestly thought they'd make a great couple. After all, love was one of the most amazing things to flourish in hard times like these. _'They are not children Albus, let them sort it out by themselves.'_ He chided himself. _'They are adults and will be capable of living with the consequences of their actions.' _This time he chuckled to himself. Despite the way things looked to him at the moment he was sure that love would prevail and the two would end up together ultimately. Having spent well over dozens of years around younger adults he had a good hunch for these kinds of things.

Finishing his cup of tea he spoke again. "I will now go and retrieve Harry and bring him here. I merely came here to inform you two of the incoming visitor. If you could be so kind and prepare a room for Harry that would be much appreciated." The tea kettle and chair vanished with a wave of his hand as the powerful wizard stood and donned his cloak. Before apparating he turned to the two one last time. "I do not know what has happened or changed between the two of you in the past day, but I sense that it has nothing to do with Sirius," catching their downcast and somewhat guilty looks he continued, "but please do me the favour of not letting it burden Harry. He has far more to deal with at the moment than any of us could possibly imagine and I would not want him to think that he had managed to somehow displease you two as well. I shall return shortly."

And with that the kind Headmaster left the room with a pop, leaving the two alone.

It was Tonks who first spoke. "I'm gonna go prepare his room, okay?" Seeing him nod she stood and walked towards the door, her former Headmaster's words still fresh in her mind. "Look Remus, let's just try and pretend that nothing happened today, alright? At least for tonight, just for Harry's sake. Please?"

For the first time since the incident Remus looked up and straight into her eyes. After a moment's hesitation he sighed and nodded. "Alright, let's try that. Prepare the room opposite the ones the girls shared last summer on the first floor, okay? Since we're on the third floor we can give him a bit of space without being too far away from him and the first floor is close enough to the kitchen if he can't sleep.

Tonks left with a nod and made her way up the stairs to the specified room. The room wasn't too unkempt, just a bit dusty. It had its own little bathroom and walk-in closet, a decently large bed which she estimated to be queen size. The large window overlooked Grimmauld Place and was covered by think black curtains. Pulling a face at the decorations, Tonks cast the charm to turn on the room's lights and looked around her properly before starting her work. After a few flicks of her wand all the dust was gone, the ugly curtains replaced with pleasantly brown ones. She did a bit of work to the bed as well, changing the sheets from Slytherin green to navy blue. After a few more handy charms the wallpaper depicting House Elves being whipped by slavers were gone and replaced with a majestic golden dragon over a deep red background. Satisfied with her work she left the room after turning off the lights to go her own and change into more comfortable clothing.

Since Harry was depressed according to Dumbledore she was going to have to think of a few things to distract him with over the summer since she was staying here for the majority of it as well, at least she planned to be here whenever she wasn't on duty. With another long sigh she shed her sweater and jeans, hoping she could somehow turn the entire situation with Remus around and that maybe in the near future she'd have someone to take these damned tight pants off for her.

* * *

Albus Dumbledore arrived outside 4 Privet Drive with a silent pop. It was approaching 10pm and the street seemed deserted. A few lights were on in the adjacent houses but nothing seemed to be out of the ordinary. A glance to his right revealed the shimmering outline of Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody approaching under a disillusionment charm.

"Good evening old friend," Albus greeted, "has anything changed since your shift has started?"

"Don't play coy with me, Albus, of course something's bloody changed and that's why you're here. Something happened to the wards two hours ago but I can't for the life of me identify what and I do not like it one bit." The retired Auror growled before rummaging through his jacket's inner pocket to retrieve his flask.

"Well observed Alastor, well observed indeed. Of course you are right, something has changed. The wards are a lot more sensitive than I first believed and it seems that young Mister Potter has managed to subconsciously force them to relocate themselves to the place he considers to be his home, which turns out to be Headquarters." Dumbledore explained as he approached the front door with Moody at his side.

"Place he considers his home? I thought these wards were blood based and would be on this house as long has Aunt lives here." Moody remarked as he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.

"Originally that was the way I interpreted the wards too, yes. It seems that Lily's sacrifice and Petunia's location here were only a foundation though and that with the protections I added myself these wards have become somewhat mutated and evolved into a stronger form of intent-based wards. They seem intent on protecting Harry _at which ever place he considers his home_ and that is, for now, the Order's Headquarters.

Alastor nodded at the explanation. Being very intimately familiar with these kinds of defensive wards himself that certainly made sense. Ward mutation wasn't overly common but very much possible and was one of the reasons many rookie Curse Breakers and Ward Crafters bit the dust. Being unable to adapt to the changes that a ward had undergone when attempting to break it normally had fatal consequences, ranging from draining ones magic to the very core or causing enormous magical explosions or even implosions. The real nasty ones could make the breaker implode on themselves as their own core would be overloaded and literally pulled inside out by the ward itself… Very dangerous career path - almost as bad as being an Auror in this war.

Albus rang the doorbell and took a step back. The door opened after a few moments to reveal Petunia Dursely. Her eyes widened in shock as she recognized the Headmaster of Hogwarts. "Y-y-you! What are you doing here! You promised you'd never come back!" She screeched as quietly as she could so no one on the street would become suspicious and notice these two… figures outside her door.

Dumbledore's eyes grew considerably darker and his face hardened. "I promised I would not return unless Harry's in dire need and it appears that your pathetic treatment of him has finally reached a breaking point. I will now retrieve him and take him away from your vile home to the place he considers his home. Our deal is now broken Petunia, for I am no longer able to protect this property without Harry living here since he does not consider it to be his home anymore. Congratulations Petunia, I am sure you're making your sister proud," Dumbledore spat in contempt, "by shunning her son so much that he does not consider this house his home anymore. You have now most likely signed your family's death warrant. The second the Wizarding World finds out that Harry Potter does not live among the Muggles anymore, Voldemort will search for this place. And if he finds it I pray that you aren't here anymore for he _will _take great pleasure in tormenting you slowly."

With that, Albus Dumbledore pushed past her and swiftly made his way up the stairs. He gestured for Alastor to wait downstairs for him and Harry.

Harry was currently in the process of writing an essay on human Transfiguration. After reading a chapter of his potions he had realized that he had not received his O.W.L scores yet and would possibly not even take potions in his 6th year, so he had switched to Transfiguration instead as he felt confident that he had passed that class with high enough marks to get into McGonagall's N.E.W.T class.

A soft knock on his bedroom door made him pause mid-sentence. The quill in his hand was quickly put into the ink glass and Harry stood with his wand clutched tightly in his hand. He hadn't heard anyone climb up the stairs so he'd rather not be caught off guard in the unlikely case that he was about to face a Death Eater who had managed to find this house and had already killed his relatives without him noticing. _'A simple silencing charm before killing them and I'd be a sitting duck up here…'_

Before Harry could think any further the door opened itself and into his room stepped a person he most definitely had not expected – his Headmaster Albus Dumbledore. Lowering his wand, that he hadn't realized he was pointing at the door, he stared at his Headmaster with wide eyes. "Headmaster?"

"Good evening Harry. I've come with some news that I am sure will most definitely please you." Dumbledore greeted him with a merry twinkle dancing in his eyes.

"Good news?" Harry asked in confusion, "Unless you're here to tell me that you've duelled and beaten Voldemort in the past couple of days I doubt anything would warrant you making a house call, sir."

Albus laughed in delight at Harry's disbelief that he was even in his room. "Well the news that I bring aren't _quite _that good, but I believe will cheer you up anyway. You're being moved to Headquarters, tonight. Permanently, unless you decide otherwise."

This statement caused Harry to look at him with even wider eyes. "Tonight? You told me I had to stay here for a month sir, what has changed?"

"All shall be explained once we get to Grimmauld Place." A quick glance around the room told the Headmaster all he needed to know. "I see that you haven't unpacked yet. Well that makes things a bit easier. Since you're leaving permanently please gather all your personal effects and we shall be off. I will await you downstairs with Alastor."

* * *

Harry's mood had improved considerably. Well, relatively, given the circumstances. Half an hour ago he had been doing homework in the hell that had been Privet Drive and now he was standing outside Headquarters. Dumbledore had just explained to him why he was being moved and how he had subconsciously triggered the wards to relocate themselves. Harry had confessed his thoughts of wishing to be here to at least be closer to the memory of Sirius when he had beaten himself up with his guilt. Yet, standing here, didn't really make him feel better. He was about to enter the place he had only good memories of Sirius in… and now Sirius was dead.

Unwilling to show weakness, much less cry, in front of his Headmaster, he touched the door and watched it swing open magically at his touch. Dumbledore lead the way to the kitchen through the otherwise silent house. Harry moved extra carefully in order to not wake up the portrait of Sirius' mother. They entered the kitchen to find Remus sitting at the table reading a book. He looked up as they entered the kitchen and immediately rose from his chair when he lay his eyes upon Harry.

Harry froze up when he saw Remus. Dumbledore had not mentioned that anyone would be at Grimmauld Place. He saw the concern on his face. _'Remus… I'm responsible for that too. I took away his only remaining friend... He only had Sirius left. I'm the reason my parents died, Wormtail betrayed him too and now I'm responsible for Sirius' death. I took him away, the only remaining family Remus had. How… how can he stand to be in the room as me? How can he look at me? How… I don't… How…'_

As Harry berated himself in his mind he did not realize that he had sunk to his knees as tears started streaming down his face and he started shaking uncontrollably. Remus moved so fast Dumbledore would have sworn he apparated to Harry's side to envelop the emotional teenager in a tight hug. Harry first stiffened at the contact but then clutched to the older man's shirt and started to cry his heart out again.

"I'm so… s-s-so sorry Remus, I didn't want him to… I didn't want him to die… It's all my fault… I'm so sorry…" Harry managed to stammer out between sobs.

"Shhhh Harry, it's okay. You are not at fault, nothing that happened is your fault, you hear me? Listen to me Harry," Remus said in a soothing voice as he took Harry's shoulders into each hand and forced him to lean upright and look at him. He failed to notice Tonks observing from the entrance to the kitchen with watery eyes herself, "you are not to blame for what happened to Sirius."

"B-B-But the prophecy… all because of the prophecy… and Sirius only came because of me, because I didn't listen to Hermione and rushed to the ministry… it's my fault he's dead Remus, it's all my fault!" Harry forcefully choked out as he wiped his eyes with back of his hands.

Dumbledore approached the two kneeling on the floor and gently placed a hand on Harry's head, causing him to look up to the powerful Wizard with wet eyes. "I know it's hard to believe and understand Harry, but as Remus said, you are not at fault! Yes, the prophecy concerns you and places a heavy burden on your shoulders but you have not chosen this fate. Many people twice your age would have given up far earlier in your life yet you are still going strong. Do not blame yourself, Harry, place the blame where it belongs – with Bellatrix and Tom Riddle. They are the ones who tricked you into coming to the ministry, they were the ones who injured your friends and ultimately were responsible for the death of many, not just your Godfather. Now I think you've had an emotionally taxing day, how about you go take a bath and sleep in tomorrow? You deserve to take a bit of a break my boy and I think Miss Tonks here has set up a nice room for you."

Harry nodded slowly and shakily got up with the help of Remus. Tonks crossed the room and gently took his hand and led him up the stairs to the first floor after a quick smile and nod to Remus and Dumbledore. Remus tiredly got up and sank into one of the chairs at the table with an audible sigh.

"As always, you were right Albus. He seems to be far worse off emotionally than I had imagined when you mentioned it."

"I concur; it would appear that I underestimated the extent of his grief. Given his probable attachment to Sirius as the first father figure in his life, this should've been expected though. I must be off now old friend, given this development I have many a thing to arrange. Expect me tomorrow around lunch time, prepare enough food for at least one more person if you could. This situation calls for reinforcements and I know just the expert to call in."

Leaving a puzzled Remus behind, Albus approached the Floo and travelled back to his office. Walking to his private quarters he changed into a modern grey Muggle suit, tailored to his tall frame. A classy hat and light cloak completed his look of an elderly man who had not lost his good taste in fashion and most definitely had not lost his style.

Fawkes looked up from his perch with what Albus could have sword was mirth in the creature's eyes. "Oh stop it you. One must be adequately prepared for such an important visit to the Muggle world. After all, one does not meet the Queen of England every night." A soft pop later and the phoenix was left alone in the office. Feeling quite bored Fawkes flashed away in a blaze on his quest to find some frozen fruit to eat. The mundane world had always fascinated him and a bit of magic in the right places went a long way in his quest to acquire his favourite treat.

* * *

Hermione was having an average night. Dinner with her parents had been pleasant and she had done her best to look interested at the stories they told of family gatherings she had missed and funny patients they had treated at their dentistry over the year. Hermione had told them stories of her year at Hogwarts and her adventures with Harry and Ron. She had missed her parents dearly and had been glad to see them, like every other holiday, but this time her mind was not at home, no, it was preoccupied with the events at the Department of Mysteries in the Ministry of Magic and the days that had followed. A pang of guilt shot through her when she explained to her parents that she had been injured in one of their adventures and had given them a much censored version of what had happened at the Ministry. She desperately hoped that her parents wouldn't pry – she could already tell that they'd contemplate pulling her out of Hogwarts if they felt it'd be the best for her safety. It had been a wonder that they hadn't insisted on her not attending Hogwarts after the debacle in her first year with the troll – but then again, hearing from a 12 year old girl that an 8 foot beast had cornered her in a toilet and she'd been rescued by two boys she hardly knew would have sound incredible and exaggerated.

Hermione sighed and looked out the window. She desperately wanted to come clean with her parents and tell them everything but the risk was too high. Harry needed her now more than ever and that was her priority. With the death of his Godfather he had lost another connection to his late parents – now only Remus remained. Sirius had held Harry's adoration as a father-like figure and never had a hard time to get Harry to listen to him.

Her parents, Emma and Daniel Granger, sat on the couch adjacent to hers and were watching TV. The book in her lap lay forgotten as the brunette witch looked out at her reflection in the window wondering what she was going to do all summer. Normally her parents would go on a vacation and take her with them but she did not want to leave England this time. Despite her parents not knowing it, she was now in the middle of a war. She had seen Voldemort along with everyone else – he was truly fearsome with his appearance alone. Even though she had been injured by Dolohov she had seen Harry struggle against the invasion into his mind by the Dark Lord. It had been horrifying to see Harry writhing on the ground in pain as he fought him with everything he had. The tides had turned when Harry had arched his back and his green eyes had fallen upon his friends. The renewed determination in his eyes had been obvious as his eyes hardened with his resolution. Chills had ran down her spine at his words, saying that he felt sorry for Voldemort as he'd never be able to experience love or friendship.

A small smile graced her pink lips as that thought ran through her had. _'Love and friendship indeed.'_

Knock knock – the loud sound startled her as she whipped her head around to the main door. It was getting late, the time was approaching midnight. A look passed between her parents, she highly doubted they were expecting anyone. Before they could get up she stood brandishing her wand that she now carried literally wherever she went.

"I'll get it." She spoke with a voice that her parents had never heard before – a tone that left no room for argument.

Hermione cautiously approached the door, her wand hidden behind her back in her right hand. Reaching out slowly her left hand grasped the door handle and slowly pushed it down. With one swift movement she opened the door, her body tense to react at a moment's notice.

The person standing in her doorway was most definitely the least person she had expected to find standing there just before midnight in the first week of the holidays. Albus Dumbledore himself stood there, looking nothing like she had remembered him from her last day at school a few days ago. Instead of wearing his silvery robe he was wearing a grey Muggle suit. The ever persistent twinkle in his eyes shone brightly as he examined her stance.

"Good evening Miss Granger. I see you have not let your guard down, well done. I would award 10 points to Gryffindor House but alas we are not at school." The spoke cheerfully, not looking out of his comfort zone at all wearing Muggle clothing.

"Err, hello to you too sir. Would you like to come in?" Hermione offered somewhat taken aback.

"Yes I believe I should – I have, after all, come to discuss things of utmost importance with you and your parents."

The female Gryffindor led her Headmaster to her parents in the living room which was a short walk down a corridor. The living room was attached to an open kitchen and was usually her mother's domain. Emma and Dan looked up in surprise as Hermione came in followed by a tall man in a suit.

"Mum, dad, this is Albus Dumbledore, my Headmaster at Hogwarts and a figurehead of the magical government." She explained.

"A pleasure to finally make your acquaintance Missus and Mister Granger." Dumbledore greeted as he inclined his head.

"The pleasure is all ours," Hermione's father's replied as he shook his hand, "to what do we owe the pleasure of having you visit us?"

Dumbledore smiled gently as he replied. "I apologize if I am intruding at such a late hour, but I would not have knocked if I had not seen the lights on from the outside. As I am sure your daughter has already figured out, I do not ordinarily visit my students at random, much less in the middle of the night."

Before he could speak any further, Emma offered to get a kettle of tea going. Dumbledore graciously accepted and was offered a seat in the dining room.

"Mister Granger, would it be possible for me to have a private word with your daughter for a moment? I promise I will explain everything when your lovely wife has prepared the tea."

Daniel looked at his daughter and saw her nod in assurance. With a nod and a smile he left for the kitchen to assist his wife in preparing the tea.

"Miss Granger, as I am sure you have guessed I am here because something has happened that involves you." He began, crossing his legs and leaning back in his chair.

"Involves me? Has something happened to Harry?" She asked, immediately worried.

"Yes, in a way it has. Nothing negative, I assure you. There have been a few developments regarding young Mister Potter earlier tonight and while I wish that I did not need it, I have come here tonight to ask you for your help."

"My help? What can I do?"

"I shall explain when your parents return. For now let me only say that you have certain experience in a field and we very much require your help in regard to Mister Potter."

"Anything Headmaster, ask me anything and I will help to the best of my ability if it's for Harry." She answered immediately, straightening slightly in her chair. _'He needs my help? My help with Harry? What is going on?'_

"I was hoping you'd say something like that. Now, before your parents return, I have asked for a private word with you so you could tell me what you have told your parents of the current state of magical world. Am I correct in my assumption that you have not told them all of the things that you have experienced in your time at Hogwarts over the past five years?" The Headmaster asked with a slight grin at her uncomfortable look.

"You assume correctly, Headmaster…" She said quietly and continued in what almost a whisper, "I was afraid they'd take me out of Hogwarts or take measures to prevent me from seeing Harry if they found out some of the things I've come face to face with over the years as his friend… as his companion."

"I understand completely, Miss Granger. So they know of Voldemort and his minions but only in a general sense?" Seeing her nod he continued, "And they do not know of the events at the Ministry or your injury?"

Again, Hermione only nodded.

"If I may inquire, but how is your injury? Madame Pomphrey said no lasting damage had been dealt to you, much to everyone's relief of course."

"I stopped taking my potion last night. I'm pretty much fully healed, only a faint scar remains." She explained and gestured to the general area of her scar.

Dumbledore nodded pensively. "Ah, your parents are about to enter. For now, say nothing and let me handle the situation, understood?"

Seeing her nod he smiled and surely enough, Emma and Daniel entered the dining room carrying a tray filled with cups of tea and a plate of biscuits.

As everyone settled down, Dumbledore smiled at the Grangers and began by telling them the true extents of Hermione's academic brilliance and achievement, a level he had not seen in well over a decade causing her to cheeks to heat up.

* * *

_Meanwhile at 12 Grimmauld Place…_

Harry sat in the bathtub of his new room at Grimmauld Place, soaking in the exquisitely hot water. This was his first proper bath since he had stepped off the Hogwarts Express. His sore and tense muscles relaxed, aided by the magical bath salts Tonks had pointed out to him when she had shown him his room. Baths like this weren't things he had grown up with so he found the bubbles and foam to be an adequate distraction from everything. He had calmed down from his breakdown earlier and now enjoyed the silence in his bathroom. After an hour he got ready to go to sleep… except that there were no towels anywhere in sight. This, of course, was a problem. Looking around he saw that both the bathroom and his bedroom door were open. Lowering himself back into the bathtub and covering himself adequately in foam he cleared his throat and called out.

"Err… Tonks?" Praying he'd been loud enough he strained his ears to listen for any footsteps. Sure enough he could hear the sound of footsteps entering his room. He swore he heard a quiet "damn!" and then sound of something falling over. A moment later Tonks walked into his bedroom. Not seeing him anywhere she entered his bathroom and raised an eyebrow at seeing him sitting in the large bathtub covered up to his collarbone in foam.

"Well don't you look downright cosy in there?" She asked with a smile.

"It's quite nice, yes." He replied neutrally.

"I think I'm gonna take a bath too before I go sleep," Tonks said more to herself than him, "but what I can do for you?"

"Erm, you wouldn't happen to know where I can find a towel around here? I wanted to get out but there's nothing I can dry myself with, at least nothing I could see and the bathtub doesn't look like it has some sort of inbuilt dying charm, at least not as far as I can tell."

Tonks looked puzzled for a moment until she facepalmed and her hair turned a bright canary yellow. "Right, I gotcha, no one's told you that you can perform magic in here."

"I can use magic? But won't that get me in trouble, being underage and all?"

"It won't, at least not here. The Fidelius Charm hides magic as well. It'd be pretty useless if it's supposed to hide a location but let's magic still be detected, aye? That would make it far too easy to locate whatever's hidden. Not to mention that Sirius' father was, how should I say, bat-shit-crazy and may or may not have placed every defensive ward on this house that money can buy." Tonks explained patiently, her hair changing to a colour akin to Harry's own.

"Oh, that makes sense I guess. If that's the case could you, erm, get my wand?"

"Which wand are we talking about here, mister?" Tonks said suggestively placing a hand on her hip and letting her eyes wander to where she assumed his crotch was hidden beneath the foam, causing Harry's cheeks to burn. "Aww, little Harry's getting all blushy mushy with me! Lighten up cowboy, I'll be right back."

Harry let out a sigh of relief as Tonks went to his room to retrieve his wand, glad her teasing was over. _'Somehow I don't think that'll be the last of that for this summer…'_

Seeing Tonks stand in the bathroom doorway with his wand in her hands he raised his arm to reach out for it. Being the mature Auror that Tonks was she stuck her tongue out at him before raising his wand and suggestively running it up her cheek, causing him to roll his eyes. She used her other hand to give it a suggestive "tug" causing Harry to once more blush, before tossing it to him and wishing him a good night while laughing to herself.

Making sure to wait for the sound of Tonks walking up the stairs to her floor, Harry flicked his wand to shut the door and started casting drying charms on himself. Walking into his bedroom naked he retrieved a pair of loose boxers before putting on one of the baggiest shirts he had, one that he liked to sleep in as it was quite comfortable.

With his mind successfully distracted, Harry made himself comfortable under the sheets and promptly fell asleep.

* * *

_The next day…_

Hermione still couldn't quite believe what was happening. It was 10am and she stood in the International Departures terminal at Heathrow Airport next to Albus Dumbledore. Her parents were carrying one carry-on bag each and had just checked-in their one trunk which Albus had provided as well. Each piece of luggage they had with them was enchanted to hold many times more than was mundanely possible.

Last night had been a rollercoaster of emotion and information for herself and her parents. Albus hard started with talking to them about Hermione's academic achievement. He had then launched into a history lesson, explaining the First Blood War, how Voldemort had reigned with terror and had been defeated by Harry Potter at the tender age of one. He had then explained Harry's life to her parents, from the death of his parents to his unwanted fame in the Wizarding World all the way to making friends with her and Ron. Dumbledore had then gone and told them of some of the adventures he had gone on and had told them, and explained to them, many events Hermione had either played down or not mentioned at all. At first her parents had been shocked and very much disappointed in her, but Dumbledore was relentless. Nothing was left out, he had defended Hermione and her actions with her fear of being taken away from the magical a world, a world where she finally felt accepted in and actually felt like she was going somewhere with her life.

He had highlighted the reasoning, impact and consequences of her actions and adventures with Harry Potter, how they had singlehandedly already potentially saved thousands of lives in their first two years at Hogwarts and how they had developed into magnificent young adults through all the things they had been through. Dumbeldore eventually reached the point where he explained the events of the last term, including the trip to the Department of Mysteries and the death of Sirius as well as Harry's struggle against Voldemort. The entire Granger family had been in tears at this point, having been painted the very dreary image that resembled Harry's life, growing up without parents and having to live with the Durselys. Much of this was new to Hermione as well, who vowed to herself to never neglect Harry again.

Eventually, Dumbledore reached the crux of the matter. A simplified explanation of wards was required as he told them that Harry had subconsciously made them move to the house of his late Godfather. Looking at Hermione specifically he had explained Harry's breakdown and the reasons behind it. She had been right when she had thought towards the end of the year that something was wrong with Harry. His eyes had been duller, he'd spoken less, his smile never made his eyes sparkle anymore. Dumbledore also hinted at Harry carrying another heavy burden since the excursion to the Ministry through ambiguous words, once more confirming her thought that Harry had been hiding something.

Then he had told her parents that removing Hermione from the magical world was impossible as it was impossible to just make her lose or forget magic. He conceded that Hermione, and thus her parents, were at high risk of being targeted by Voldemort and his followers, not only for Hermione being close to Harry but also for her being a muggle-born so it really made little sense for her to not be friends with Harry. Sensing the need for it, Dumbledore referenced the events in the past to show Harry's dependency on her, his best friend, to overcome any adversary and challenge that life could throw at him. That without her, he would have died many times over. Here Hermione jumped in and said the same applied to Harry – he had saved her life more than she could care to count but also gave her something she had not had a lot of in her childhood – unconditional friendship and support, no matter what. He stood up for her when she would not, he'd jump in front of any curse for her if he felt she was in danger. This point hit both parents very hard, knowing that all Hermione ever wanted was to be accepted by her peers and have some friends, yet she was shunned for her intelligence and studious nature.

Dumbledore revealed his need for Hermione in this summer as being the anchor Harry needed to remain focused and sane. The headmaster explained that Hermione had the most experience out of anyone when it came to dealing with Harry and he needed her more than any time before. Albus needed her to help him overcome his grief and see the sense of his own words – that he had something worth fighting for and that Sirius would not have wanted him to sit around all summer moping in grief and guilt. Here he mentioned that Harry would have to be trained and prepared and as he saw the determined look on Hermione's face he mentioned that Hermione would of course be part of it and learn how to keep herself safe under any circumstances.

This led to Dumbledore growing sombre as he explained that he and Hermione were in the midst of a war now, and right now as the calm before the storm. While he did say that he could protect Hermione's parents, he could not do so continuously. Of course, he could ward their home against the strongest of Voldemort's followers, but that would only protect them at home. They'd be vulnerable anywhere else outside the house, including at their work, anytime they visited someone or even went shopping.

Saying he had "called in some favours with some old friends here and there" he could offer them the once in a lifetime opportunity of taking a tour of the world for the duration of one year with most of the expenses covered. The Grangers weren't poor by and standard, both very accomplished doctors in their respective fields of dentistry, but such a trip had been out of reach. Dumbledore had said he had organised for flights and accommodation to be paid so all they really paid for was food and whatever they wished to purchase in their travels. The Grangers had discussed it amongst them for almost an hour, peppering Dumbledore with questions that he was more than willing to answer. They had eventually agreed when Hermione had mentioned that she'd feel a lot more comfortable at school knowing that her parents were overseas and out of danger so she could concentrate on keeping herself safe.

Dumbledore had summoned a trunk and had enchanted it properly before being enlisted to enchant their smaller bags as well. He happily obliged and said he'd finish preparations and would return at 8am. Hermione had gone to sleep while her parents stayed up and packed, not even worrying about their dental praxis as Dumbledore had promised he had that one covered as well. Dumbledore popped into the living room at 8am sharp, startling Hermione's parents. With him he was carrying a think envelope which he opened in front of them.

He first handed the Grangers two cards, one for each of them. "Since the trunks can now be considered magical you could raise some magical flags when arriving in some countries. So if you're being questioned by wizards or being asked to give up your bags for a 'random inspection' show them these cards. They are issued by myself through the power of the ICW and classify you as VIPs under my protection and also certify that you know of the magical world and are not to be obliviated in any fashion. I've added some charms to your bags that will make them look perfectly normal and acceptable when passed through muggle scanners and will prevent any muggle aside from yourself from wanting to open them or check them. Remember that with this card you'll be safe from any wizards working for any sort of ministry in any country so keep it on you at all times. No one in their right mind will dare harm you with the knowledge that you are protected by the ICW and myself." He finished with a chuckle.

"Here are your funds," he said as he pulled out two muggle credit cards, each with a Bank of England symbol on them, "use these cards to pay for any sort of travel or accommodation expense. And here," this time he pulled out two tickets from the envelope, "are the tickets to your first destination. California is your first stop and from there you may decide on your own. Maybe you'll wish to stay there for a while, maybe you'll want to go somewhere else. But above all, remember to enjoy yourself at all times! Take this as the longest holiday you'll ever have, and make sure to take many pictures and bring back many souvenirs for Hermione to enjoy." Naturally his eyes were twinkling as he said this.

And now they stood at the gate to the part of the airport where you needed boarding passes to get to. Hermione fiercely hugged both her parents with tears in her eyes. They hugged her just as tightly but eventually let go. Her mother gave her a kiss on the cheek and told her to always stay careful. Daniel shook Dumbledore's hand and thanked him for everything. Dumbledore merely smiled and promised to watch out for his star student at all times.

"I do have one more thing for you," The Headmaster said as he reached into his suit jacket and pulled out a small bundle. He opened it and it revealed two small pocket mirrors, commonly used by women in the mundane world to check or adjust their make-up on the go, "these are communication mirrors. One is for Hermione and the other one for you Emma. With this you will be able to communicate with Hermione, no matter where in the world you find yourself. You merely open the cover and speak Hermione's full name and her counterpart will alert her. If you ever feel the need to speak to Hermione, use it. Do keep in mind that she'll be the easiest to reach in the evening."

Hermione's parents once more thanked Albus and then waved a final time before walking towards the gates.

"Well Miss Granger," Albus spoke after her parents had passed through the sliding doors and were no longer visible, "we have some time to spare before we are expected at Grimmauld Place. How about we return to your home to pack your things and make sure that your house will be secure in the time your parents are gone?"

"Sounds like a plan, Headmaster."

Leading her to a secluded corner of the airport he motioned her to grab his forearm as the two disappeared in a very quiet pop of apparition.

* * *

After he dropped Hermione off in her house, Dumbledore told her to take her time packing and that he'd return in an hour as he had a few errands to run. She asked him to quickly enchant her trunk so she could pack all the things she needed since she'd stay with Harry for the foreseeable future. After doing so Dumbledore apparated to the Ministry. He checked his 12-hand watch quickly. It was a Monday, July was just around the corner. There was a lot to get done in the next two months and he was going to need some assistance in what was unarguably the most vital project.

With quick strides Dumbledore made his way through the Ministry towards the Magical Law Enforcement Department. He was on the lookout for Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody. The retired Auror legend often gave seminars and practical training sessions on Monday mornings; this was normally around the time they finished. Dumbledore walked into one of the large training rooms which were frequently used to teach younger Aurors new spells or give demonstrations.

"Arhhh, just the man I was tellin' you all about, The Grand Sorcerer himself! C'mere Albus, tell these young lads and lasses all about the uses the simplest of all spells have, they find it hard to believe that a well-placed Stunner or _Petrificus Totalus _can be far more valuable than the most fancy fire lance or conjuration you can think of!" Moody gruffly said as his all-seeing eye saw Albus enter the room.

Walking up next to Alastor, Albus let his inner academic out as he observed the crowd. There were at least 70 people in the room, just over half of them looked to be trainees in their early stages of Auror training while the rest looked like younger Aurors. He even saw some of the older and experienced faces in the back.

"Ah yes, of course. As Alastor has possibly told you, the first capture of Bellatrix LeStrange about 20 years ago…" and so Albus quickly captivated the crowd with the story of how Moody had lost his leg but fought to the very last second and eventually came out to be victorious with a combination of the simplest spells. "It's not a matter of what spell it is, how powerful it or deadly it is, no, it all comes down to how you use it. I am willing to bet you that Alastor could defeat anyone in this room using only _Rictumsempra _and _Scourgify_…"

About half an hour later session was over and the Aurors started clearing out, each one thanking Moody for the lecture on the way out. When only Albus and Alastor were left, Alastor spoke first.

"All wet behind the ears still, I tell you. I'm assumin' you're not here to catch up on old times, aye Albus?"

Dumbledore chuckled before answering. "No, of course not. I've come to see you personally because I am not sure of when the next Order meeting will take place. You see Alastor, I'm going to need your help…"

* * *

Harry awoke to the sensation of someone hitting him over the head with a pillow. Not once, not twice, but repeatedly. "Get up!" The voice of Tonks commanded. All she got in response was a groan and him pulling his blanket over his head.

"I know Dumbles told you to sleep in but it's almost lunch time! Get up!"

Groggily attempting to dodge her next hit with the pillow, Harry Potter sat up and looked around, the events of the previous night coming back to him.

"Lunch'll be ready in a few minutes, brush your teeth and get your bum downstairs or we'll start without you!"

Making his way to the bathroom, Harry brushed his teeth and relieved himself. Deciding to get changed properly after eating, he haphazardly threw on a bair of baggy sweatpants and made his way downstairs, following the delicious smell of pasta. Smiling slightly when he saw Remus in an apron standing at the stove shovelling food onto plates Harry took a seat opposite Tonks who was currently holding up a small mirror as she cycled through hair colours.

"I didn't know you could cook, Remus." Harry said in greeting.

"Well you pick up a few things when… you live on your own." Remus said with a flash of discomfort in his eyes.

An uncomfortable silence settled on the three of them and Harry mentally kicked himself for commenting on something stupid like that. He was sure that if someone commented on his own cooking abilities that he'd probably have a similar look in his eyes as he'd remember the times he'd been punished by the Durselys for the meal he had been forced to cook for them not being perfect.

Trying to lighten the mood he looked at Tonks and asked, "What are you doing, Tonks?"

"Hmm? Oh, I'm just trying to decide what colour to wear today. I can't quite choose between this," Her hair turned into a light brown with blonde highlights, "and this." This time her hair changed into a dark red tone which made her look quite intimidating if she'd asked Harry for his opinion.

Remus let out a sound which sounded like a laugh poorly disguised as a cough and mumbled something along the lines of, "Not like she can stay on one colour for very long."

Remus finished placing the pasta onto the plates from the big pot he'd been cooking them in and flicked his wand to levitate them onto the table. For the first time since entering the kitchen, Harry noted that the table was made for five people yet only three were present. Shooting Remus a questioning look he asked, "Are we expecting anyone?"

Remus nodded. "Yes, Dumbledore said he'd be here any minute now and he's brining someone along with him. No clue who but they better hurry up cause I am starving."

Right as Remus said that, footsteps could be heard on the path to the kitchen. Dumbledore was leading a smiling Hermione whose trunk was levitating behind her. Leaving her trunk at the stairs she quickly descended, barely being able to contain her excitement of seeing Harry in a few seconds.

Harry had no idea what on earth was going on. One second he was sitting there impatiently, waiting for Dumbledore so he could finally sate his rumbling stomach, and the next thing he knew was a cry of "Harry!" coming from somewhere near the door, leading to his current predicament of a very familiar figure sitting in his lap crushing him against her chest in one of those tight hugs he'd come to appreciate over the years. Her arms around his neck caused his face to be pressed into her collarbone as his arms went around her waist automatically to keep her from falling off his lap. Harry could very much smell her – she smelled intoxicating and so unique that he couldn't quite describe it – at least not yet. He could smell her perfume as well and it too smelled familiar. A content sigh when through him.

"Hello Hermione." He mumbled into her shoulder, oblivious to the world. _'Merlin this is comfortable. I could stay like this for a while.' _Was the most prevalent thought as he pulled her a bit closer than she'd already been.

A bit surprised at Harry's readiness to respond to her physical greeting she smiled into his hair and mumbled back. "Hi Harry." _'I believe this is the first time he's responded so actively to one of my hugs.'_

The two teens became aware of their surroundings again as Tonks unnecessarily cleared her throat. "Save it for the bedroom loverboy and lovergirl, I'm starving!"

The meal was pleasant and Dumbledore mentally patted himself on the back. Bringing Miss Granger to Headquarters had been definitely worth the effort as he could see Harry interact far more with those around him than he had the night before. She sat right next to him and they were constantly interacting – to Albus it looked like she was forcing Harry to not think about Sirius and the prophecy and retreat into himself by sheer presence. The change seemed to be obvious to anyone but Harry himself, he looked like he hadn't been beating himself up with guilt over the past week, nor did he look like he had broken down last night blaming himself for something that wasn't his fault.

He chuckled to himself as he recalled the jab from Nymphadora at the start of the meal, insinuating that Harry and Hermione were lovers. It had been a delight to see the two blush fiercely as Hermione gingerly separated herself from her best friend and take the seat next to him with as much dignity as she could manage.

Conversation for lunch mainly stuck to lighter topics, Remus complaining that his favourite Qudditch team was underperforming, Tonks rambling about Moody being a hellish instructor and being an Auror was the worst thing ever, Dumbledore touching on the topic of having to inform the muggle-born first years about their new status as Wizards and Witches, Hermione mentioning her anxiety over her O.W.L results much to the amusement of everyone and Harry moaning about a certain clumsy Auror being mean and teasing him at every chance she found.

They had bowls of ice cream for dessert which Dumbledore quite enjoyed. Checking his watch he noticed the time approach one and he still had many things to do and prepare. After thanking Remus for the excellent meal he stood and looked at Harry and Hermione sitting side by side.

"Well, I must be off now. Remus, Tonks, it is from now on your duty to ensure Harry and Hermione are protected wherever they do." Remus and Tonks nodded respectively. "Harry and Hermione, I will leave you two to do whatever you please until Thursday afternoon when I will return as I have planned some things for you. Also I will send two house elves tomorrow morning – I am sure that you'd all agree with me when I say that this place could use a little makeover. I wish you all a joyous day. And don't you be too productive Miss Granger, at least not until Thursday – like your parents I recommend that you, for now, enjoy yourself."

Seeing Hermione roll her eyes was all Dumbledore needed as he put on his hat and disappeared in a soft pop.

Remus spoke to the two after Dumbledore's departure. "Why don't you let Tonks and I clean up the mess while you go and sort out a room for Hermione? I assume you'll be staying here from now on, yes Hermione?" Seeing her nod he continued, "Harry help her get set up in the room across from yours will you?"

Nodding enthusiastically Harry stacked Hermione's plate and bowl onto his own and passed them to Remus before taking her hand without thinking about it and started pulling her towards the stairs. He didn't notice Tonks snicker or Hermione look rather surprised as he led the way up the stairs. Grabbing her trunk with his free hand without hesitation or pause he kept walking up the stairs to the first floor.

He absently pointed at the door to his room. "That's my room. Door's always open to you if you need anything…"

Letting go of her hand he hauled her trunk into the room opposite his and flicked the light switch. Looking at the dust disapprovingly he cast _Scourgify_ a few times, making Hermione gasp.

"Harry!"

"What?"

"What are you doing?"

"Eh… Cleaning your about-to-be room?" Harry replied, clearly confused.

"You used magic! We're still underage, what if you get expelled, oh my god we need to tell Dumble-" Hermione's rant was quickly interrupted as Harry turned to her and crossed the distance between the two of them with a quick step. He now stood _very _close, so close their chests were almost touching. Placing a long index finger under her chin he applied pressure until she closed her still open mouth.

'_Oh lord… He's so close to me… I can smell him… what… what on earth is he doing!'_

Now that her mouth was closed Harry placed his index finger on now sealed lips before speaking. "Sheesh 'Mione, you need to calm down. We can perform magic here, don't worry, I double-checked with Tonks. The Fidelius Charm hiding this place also hides magic and Tonks said that Sirius' father was crazy and paranoid and had the world's best defensive wards placed upon this house. Okay?"

Harry too was acutely aware of the close proximity to Hermione that he found himself in. He too could smell her scent and found himself liking it more and more. Muttering a quick "sorry" he removed his finger from her lips, _'God they're soft…'_ and took a step back. Composing himself quickly he turned back to the room which was a mirror image to his own, except still dusty and dark.

Seeing that Harry had turned to face the room again Hermione raised her hand to her lips where his finger hand lingered and caught herself wondering what his lips would feel like. Trying to derail that train of thought as quickly as she could she retrieved her wand with the knowledge that she could actually use it. It would much later in the day dawn upon her that Harry had for the first now called her by her full name but had used a shorter version, almost like a pet name.

"Well then, how'd you like your room?" Harry asked, trying not to sound awkward at all. _'It's only awkward if I make it awkward!' _Was his motto as he was unsure what had just passed between him and his only real female friend.

"Err… how about we go with how your room looks and then I'll modify it to my tastes?" Hermione offered.

Harry nodded and started transfiguring things left and right.

Half an hour later her room looked almost identical to the one Harry currently occupied. She had sat down on the bed, watching him intently as he moved around with the room like a man on a mission. _'He's so intense when he has a purpose.' _She thought, admiring his magical ability.

"If you transfigured this well during your Transfiguration O.W.L you'll definitely get an Outstanding, Harry!" she said as he almost collapsed on the bed next to her.

"Really? Thanks. I don't know but it felt really natural to me just now. Like all I needed was the imagination and the magic would just flow through me to suit my needs." Harry said lying on his back, staring at the ceiling.

Hermione kicked off her shoes and leaned back as well, taking the same position as Harry next to her. She pushed herself up a bit so that her head was on the same level as Harry's.

The two lay there lost in their individual thoughts for a while. Unknown to the other, they were thinking about each other, wishing they could read the other's mind.

Deciding to be the first to break the silence Harry slightly inclined his head to his right so that his ear was almost touching his shoulder, without taking his eyes off the ceiling.

"Hermione?"

"Yes Harry?"

"I'm really glad that you're here."

Instead of answering with what she had planned Hermione paused for a second, the events from earlier fresh in her mind. The way he had responded to her hug, the way he had oh so boldly silenced her earlier.

"Why's that?" She replied.

Harry had definitely not anticipated that question. He had to give it to her though, it was a valid question. Not sure how else to respond he decided to be as honest as he could.

"Well you're fun to be around. You're my best friend and I can rely on you for _anything._ You know me better than I know myself and know how to… how to make me happy and distract me from everything bad going on around me." Harry managed to get out, hoping he didn't sound like an absolute idiot.

Harry didn't know it then, but his answer had made Hermione smile brightly. Deciding to play his game she also inclined her head to the left – their heads were touching now. She could feel him tense through the mattress but relax quickly. Deciding to be the bolder one this time around her left hand slowly slid across the now navy blue sheets, until her pinkie bumped into his. His breathing stopped for a moment but continued as normal, as if she'd been given permission to do as she pleased. Her fingers slowly made their way over the back of his hand, feeling the faint scars he had on it.

A shiver ran through Harry as he could feel Hermione lightly caress the back of his hand with tips of her fingers. Her touch was light and soft and if he was being completely honest with himself he found that he was craving more. But, this was Hermione, his best friend. Should he be craving more?

"Give me your hand." She whispered through the silence of the room. The curtains were closed, the light was dim and if Harry's mind did not fail him the door was closed since he had been cleaning behind it as well. Hesitating for only a short moment he slowly extended his arm from his body and turned his palm upwards. Hermione continued her ministrations of his hand, running her own fingertips along his, feeling his callouses and small scars that he had acquired throughout all their adventures, dozens of hours of Quidditch and a Triwizard tournament.

Her fingers came to a rest and she slowly intertwined their hands as hers closed around his. Not hesitating any longer, Harry's fingers closed around hers as well.

It was a sweet, innocent and very intimate moment for the two of them as they lay motionless upon the recently cleaned bed, side by side with their hands joined and heads touching lightly.

In what was barely more than a whisper Hermione spoke.

"I'm really glad to be here too, Harry."

* * *

**Author's Note #2: **Well that was the first chapter. Hope you enjoyed it as much as I did writing it. Kinda long, ~13k words. Next chapter will start right where this one stops and will be out in the next few days. Peace!


	2. A Week Like No Other: Day 1

**Harry Potter & The Runic Affinity**

**Author's Note #1: **A big thank you to all those that have bothered reviewing, there were some really nice ones that made me smile. I don't have much to say except that I'll try and keep the chapter length a bit shorter since the longer a chapter goes for, the more inclined I am to make typos. As always, feel free to drop a review if you think this chapter merits one, if not, that's cool too.

**Forewarning: **There is a LOT of Harry/Hermione in this chapter. If you have, by some miracle, not yet realized that this very much an H/Hr centric story and do not sail that ship, this is my last warning. More at the end in the end notes.

Disclaimer: Do people even read these? I own nothing of the Harry Potter franchise.

* * *

**Chapter 2: A Week Like No Other. Day 1.**

Hermione slowly separated her hand from Harry's, much to his disappointment. Her hand had been soft and nice to hold. She stood and moved to the foot of the bed and slowly took in the room around her.

Looking at him over her shoulder she smiled and said, "Stay there, it's my turn now." Seeing him nod in confirmation she palmed her wand. Hermione didn't change too much, but her room now had a predominantly lighter colour scheme than his. As she stood at the foot of the bed with her wand pointed at the curtains, Harry shuffled up the bed so his back rested against the head board. For the first time he took in what Hermione was actually wearing today and allowed himself to appreciate her physique from behind. Hermione was wearing washed out jeans that hugged her hips in a lovely fashion, at least in Harry's mind. His gaze wandered up her legs, lingering on her bum for a moment, to her back, seeing her wear a snug pink tank top that peeked out under her white cardigan which she wore unbuttoned.

Harry had never noticed how lithe Hermione's figure was – she wasn't quite athletic but no slouch either. Her jeans and tank top betrayed her as she raised her arm to change the colours of the curtains causing her cardigan to reveal the full extent of her hips. Harry's breath stopped as his eyes kept tracing the outlines of Hermione's body. _'She's come a long way from the bossy know-it-all that I saved from a mountain troll.' _Harry thought to himself and let out a chuckle.

Startled, Hermione turned around and raised an eyebrow at the grinning form of Harry Potter sitting on her bed, soft green eyes meting her chocolate ones. "Am I amusing you, Mister Potter?" She asked, trying her best to intimidate her favourite teacher, Minerva McGonagall. Harry had to do his best to not burst out laughing and bit his lower lip, trying to look as innocent as he could. "Of course not, Miss Granger, I am, ehm, just… thinking."

Still staring at him she placed a hand on her right hip and visibly shifted her weight to her left leg, finally breaking Harry's resolve as he burst out laughing. Doing her best to maintain her stern look she walked around the bed until she stood over Harry and looked at him in her disapproval. "And pray tell, what were you thinking about?"

Being the mature 16 year old that Harry was he stuck his tongue out to her and gave her a little mischievous smile. "Not telling!"

Before she had any chance to reply Harry pointed his wand at her stomach and said "_Rictusempra!"_

Hermione did her best to fight the charm, she really did. After a few seconds she gave into Harry's magic and started giggling uncontrollably at the feeling of being tickled. Her legs buckled and she had to grab the side of the bed in order to not fall over.

"H-Harry! Make it s-stop!" Hermione managed to say through her fits of giggles.

Seeing her giggle so much that she was forced to hold onto the bedframe for support infected Harry instantly and he started laughing again and casted _"Finite Incantatem!" _Hermione finally stopped giggling. As her stomach ached from all the tickling she lost grip of the bedframe and collapsed onto the bed, straight onto Harry who let out a cry of "oof!" as she landed on him.

The raven haired teen let out another laugh as he felt Hermione's stomach tense over his own as she groaned. If someone were to observe the teens they'd essentially see the two form a cross on the bed. Hermione shifted a bit so that her head essentially lay on his shoulder – she was still on top of him and her legs rested between his spread ones.

"Oww my stomach hurts now… I will get you back for this, Harry James Potter, you mark my words. Remember that you are not the only one who can use magic in this house!" She said as she turned on top of him, now her head was resting on his shoulder but faced towards his chest.

"What did I do to deserve that anyway?" Hermione asked after they were silent for a few minutes.

"I dunno, I just felt like it."

"Ah."

Another minute of silence passed between them, Harry marvelling at how warm she felt lying on top of him.

"What were you thinking about anyway?" Hermione asked again.

"Huh?"

"Before you cast that over the top Tickling Charm you said you were thinking. What did you think about that made you laugh?"

"Umm… a few things. One of them was how much you've changed from the little, bossy know-it-all that I rescued from a mountain troll in my first year."

She slapped his chest and said in a huff, "I was not… bossy!" Not heading him reply she turned her head to see him look at her incredulously. "Okay maybe I was a little overbearing."

Harry agreed with a snort and said, "Sure, let's go with that."

Another pause between them. This time it was Hermione who marvelled at the warmth of the body underneath her. _'This is comfortable… I could get used to this kind of pillow.'_

"Hermione? What are we gonna do, you know, until Thursday? Dumbledore said we should enjoy ourselves."

"I don't know. Do you have anything specific in mind?"

"Well I kind of wanted to get myself some new clothes, given that I don't have to stay with the Durselys anymore and can wear whatever I want now. I was wondering if you could, you know, help me? I have no real idea of where to go and what to get."

"You're offering me to dress you up in all sorts of outfits and choose which ones you keep?"

"Err… I think I am?" Harry said uncertainly, not quite sure what she was getting at.

Laughing into his chest Hermione spoke, "I'd love to help you Harry, but don't you dare complain."

Still not quite understanding Harry scratched his head. "Complain about what?"

"You will see when we go shopping. I might bring Tonks with us. Yes, that sounds like an excellent idea." Hermione explained, shifting a bit to make herself more comfortable on top of him.

"Oh Merlin, please don't, not her Hermione. Anyone but Tonks!" Harry instantly pleaded with her.

"What do you have against Tonks? We'll probably have to take her anyway because her mission is to keep us safe."

Harry groaned and Hermione raised her head off his chest to see his cheeks go rosy. "She likes to… tease me. A lot. Inappropriately. I've been considering filing for a restraining order and getting her on probation or something." Harry explained jokingly.

"Tonks teases you? Do tell you charmer." Hermione said, resting her head back on him.

Explaining Tonks' actions from last night made Hermione laugh in delight. _'Tonks is a genius if she managed to distract Harry from his outbreak so easily.' _"Oh I am definitely bringing her with us now." She slowly got up from her comfortable spot and stood next to the bed. "Get up, we can't lie around forever."

Looking up at her Harry tried to not blush at her rumpled clothing and slightly disorderly hair before responding with "But I was comfortable here!"

"Well you can get comfortable again later, okay?" Giving him a cheeky and mischievous smile, she added, "Maybe I'll even lie on top of you again to make sure you're extra comfortable."

Raising an eyebrow at her forwardness, Harry replied, "Why Miss Granger, are you suggesting I enjoyed the extended amount of time of physical contact between the two of us?"

A flash of insecurity passed over Hermione's face but she quickly controlled it into a neutral expression and shrugged her shoulders. "Maybe, maybe not. Now, help me unpack." Hesitating for only a moment, Harry got off the bed before mentally kicking himself for the second time that day. _'Way to ruin a great midday Potter, it's been perfect up to now. Note to self: do something nice for Hermione later and reassure her.'_

Opening her trunk, Hermione forced Harry to practise his housekeeping spells by having him sort her clothes, mainly her pants and shirts, into the walk-in closet. Harry spend the better part of the next hour levitating and magically folding her clothes, arranging them inside the closet by type. Jeans went to one side, other pants to the other; shirts were piled up by colour, dresses hung up according to type, jackets and sweaters arranged onto hangers and so on. Hermione in the meantime organised her personal collection of books that she had taken from home into the shelves on the other side of the room. After being satisfied with the way her precious tomes were set up she went about arranging her bathroom with her personal assortment of hygienic utensils and make up that she used from time to time or on special occasions. Harry was still walking between the trunk on her bed and the closet, not quite done with her clothing. As she hung up her fluffy bathrobe she heard Harry call her name from the bedroom.

Exiting the bathroom she found him standing next to her open trunk, refusing to meet her eyes. "What do you, erm, want me to do with, ehh… those?" Crossing the distance between her and the bed she walked up to her trunk to see what Harry was gesturing at. Peeking into her trunk she quickly found what was causing him to stumble over his own words and blush in discomfort – Harry had finished transferring her clothes and had now stumbled upon the section in her trunk which held her underwear. Trying her best not to blush Hermione quickly answered. "Oh don't worry about them, I'll sort them out later. I wouldn't want you to pass out from embarrassment or something, would I now?"

Her tone had been teasing and Harry raised his eyes and looked straight into hers. _'Two can play this game, Hermione.' _"Is that a challenge I hear in your voice, Hermione?"

Deciding to play along, Hermione shot back, "If you perceive my suggestion that you are not up to handling my underwear as a challenge, Harry, then it could possibly be one, yes."

Not breaking eye contact, Harry slowly, very slowly, reached into the trunk and pulled out a pair of sky blue cotton panties, letting them dangle from his index finger, smiling a dangerous smile at his best friend.

Hermione couldn't take it. Harry was currently touching her underwear. Not the underwear she was wearing, but it was close enough. Being the young hormonal teen that she was, such a thought inspired a whole new train of thought, and that was one train she didn't want to be riding when looking into his eyes. Snatching them from his finger she quickly banished them into the closet with a flick of her wand.

Seeing his triumphant grin she shook her head and raised an eyebrow at him. "I don't think so Mister Potter, I'm not going to let you handle my underwear just yet. Maybe another time." She gave him a look which she hoped would come across like a confidently seductive wink before levitating her entire trunk into the walk-in closet and shutting its doors.

"Well if you ever need me to handle your underwear, my room's right across the hall and I'm normally available Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays for such services; prices can be negotiated via owl or on the spot." Harry joked in his best snobbish business-like tone.

A second of silence passed between the two as they stared at each other before bursting out in laughter once more. Hermione had certainly missed his sense of humour, she hadn't heard jokes like this since the last time she had been alone with him for a longer time… which had been at the start of their fourth year when she had helped him prepare for the Triwizard Tournament. A thought ran through her head as she remembered those months. _'He said earlier that I am his best friend… Does he mean he places me even above Ron? I should ask him later.'_

Reversing the roles, Hermione grabbed Harry's hand and pulled him out of her room, saying, "I want to check if this place has a library or any sort of book collection before we ask Remus and Tonks when we can go shopping."

"Typical Hermione, first thing on the list is finding books."

"Shut it you prat."

* * *

An hour later, Harry found himself outside the Leaky Cauldron in Muggle London. Tonks had instantly taken a liking to the idea of taking him shopping and had told them they could go right now. Remus had given Harry a sympathetic look and shake of the head before telling them to stay near Tonks at all times and that he'd be out running some errands himself. Tonks told him that they'd bring back some takeaway dinner so they wouldn't have to cook later that night. Remus nodded and left the house before they did. Tonks got changed into her Auror robes and the three were on their way.

Harry was hesitant outside the Leaky Cauldron. The moment people would recognize him he'd either get the usual celebrity treatment or the usual looks of doom and disgust. By now he'd been used to both of them but still enjoyed neither. Hermione rubbed his back reassuringly for a moment and Tonks spoke. "Don't worry Harry, I'll keep anyone off your back. Just walk straight ahead to Gringotts, we're only here to get your money and then we're off to the Muggle world, okay?"

Taking a deep breath and nodding, Harry opened the door to the famous Wizarding pub, trying to conceal his face as much as possible by not making eye contact with anyone and looking at the ground. Sadly, someone did recognize him the second he walked and whispered his name loud enough for everyone to hear.

"Harry Potter!"

Instantly the pub was in chaos, people crowding around him with looks of adoration upon their faces. _'Celebrity treatment it is I guess…' _Harry thought to himself in annoyance. The Daily Prophet had done it once more – last year he'd been the crazy, attention seeking lunatic, this year he was the saviour of the Wizarding World again. Of course the vile toilet paper that called itself a newspaper had blown up the story of the Voldemort sighting at the ministry, taking Dumbledore's statement that they had battled and driven him off and spinning it into a fairy tale of Harry heroically defeating Voldemort in a battle of the minds and wills while Dumbledore had defeated him magically.

"Mister Potter, could you please sign this for me…" was the first thing he picked up from a particularly pushy witch that had made her way to the front of the crowd, thrusting a quill and what looked like a poster of him from the Triwizard Tournament at him.

Disgusted with all the attention Harry did his best to ignore everyone around him and push his way through to the entrance to Diagon Alley. Fortunately both Tom and Tonks decided to get the crowd off of him. Tonks raised her wand and let out a sound that reminded Harry of a cannonball shot from a pirate ship. Instantly the crowd silenced and looked towards the bubble-gum haired Auror who was looking quite menacing.

"Leave the boy in peace before I arrest you all for harassment. I'm sure the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement won't be happy when I tell her that I had to arrest two dozen people cause they were mobbing the one and only Harry Potter, no?"

With determination in her stride she took both Harry's and Hermione's elbows and pushed them towards the magical wall, the crowd parting like water and moving back to their seats in fear of the fierce Auror.

They strode straight through Diagon Alley with no one daring to get too close to the famous teenager as Tonks wore a menacing scowl and glared at whoever looked like they were star-struck enough to try and shake Harry Potter's hand. Hermione swore Tonks had used her Metamorphing talents to somehow make her eyes look burning to anyone she glared at, but was eternally grateful that Tonks got them to Gringotts so quickly. _'I knew bringing her had been a good idea.'_

Harry looked around Gringotts for a free teller and saw the same Goblin he had spoken to when he had made his first trip to the bank with Hagrid all those years ago. "Good afternoon Mister Griphook, I'd like to visit my vault to retrieve some money." Harry greeted and presented his vault key.

The goblin, Griphook, looked quite surprised to be addressed by his name before inclining his head. "Of course Mister Potter, please follow me. I'm going to need you to authorize your guests to accompany you, though."

After quickly signing a waiver that had stated that Harry permitted Hermione and Tonks to come with him, the three found themselves in a wild cart ride through Gringotts. Griphook sat in the front, Harry behind him, followed by Hermione and Tonks. Never having been on such a ride before Hermione did not quite know what to expect, but the second the cart started declining and accelerating she wrapped her arms around Harry's midsection who'd been letting out screams of joy along with Tonks as they approached his vault.

Griphook entered Harry's key into a small opening in a stone pillar next to the vault door and watched as it slowly opened. He handed Harry a small leather pouch which he explained would magically be able to hold as many coins as he wanted. Nodding, Harry walked into his vault, followed by Tonks and Hermione.

The two girls were quite surprised. Harry's vault was almost overflowing with gold; coins were stacked against the walls to make room for more. All they saw was gold, not a single sickle or knut anywhere. Harry looked around in wonder. "Hmm, it's grown since the last time I was here. I'll ask Griphook about it on the way out."

With that, Harry started piling Galleons into the pouch. Looking at him in wonder, Hermione asked, "How much are you taking Harry?"

Shrugging Harry replied, "I don't know, enough to make me feel comfortable. I have no idea what the conversation rate to British Sterling is but it'd rather have too much than too little."

After Harry had piled several handfuls of the gold coins into the bag he pulled the string to shut the bag and walked out of the vault, the girls on his heels with one last look of wonder at all the money in Harry's vault.

Outside the vault Harry looked at Griphook and asked him, "Griphook, it appears that the amount of money in my vault has significantly increased since my first visit here before my first year. Could you explain to me why?"

"Hmm, let me confirm the properties of the vault Mister Potter, just a second," Griphook mumbled something and snapped his fingers, summoning a leather bound book with a gold inscription of _"Harry James Potter – Vault #687 – Potter Family Trust Vault."_

Seeing the inscription Harry looked at Griphook with the unspoken question. "This book monitors all activity of this vault, all money deposited and withdrawn, all interest rate changes and additions."

"Oh, okay. What does it mean when it says "Potter Family Trust Vault"?" Harry asked, still confused.

Looking at Harry in disbelief Griphook quickly asked, "Mister Potter, have you not been made aware of your financial arrangements or your family's vault set up?"

With an uncomfortable shrug Harry replied, "No, not really. Hagrid said my parents left me money and took me to this vault in before buying my school supplies in my first year. I haven't really been back here since."

Sighing and shaking his head in disbelief Griphook muttered to himself something along the lines of "Most famous Wizard in Britain and doesn't even know about his own finances…"

Gesturing for them to enter the cart, Griphook spoke, "I think this warrants a meeting with the bank's manager, Ragnok. I shall have him explain the reason behind the amount of gold increasing inside your vault. Please follow, I shall take you directly to him."

As they entered the cart, Hermione wrapped her arms around Harry again, causing Tonks to nudge her playfully and send her a suggestive wink.

Ten minutes later and the trio were led down a corridor to where they assumed they would meet Ragnok. As they walked, Hermione walked beside Harry with Tonks slightly behind them, tugging on his sleeve. Looking at her, Hermione leaned over while they walked and whispered. "Harry, if we're being taken to _the_ Ragnok, as in Ragnok the Head of Gringotts, you must be on your best manners at all times. When you smile do _not_, under any circumstances, show your teeth."

Looking puzzled at her words, Hermione sighed and continued. "Showing your teeth when smiling is a display of aggression in Goblin culture. It's like pointing your wand at someone in our world. Trust me, you do not want to be comparing your _wand _to that of the Gringotts manager."

Letting out a chuckle Griphook agreed, apparently having heard her words with his superior hearing. "I agree with your companion Mister Potter, Master Ragnok is not to be trifled with."

Nodding, Hermione turned to Harry again. "Also remember that not just any Wizard gets to meet Master Ragnok. Not even the Minister could just rock up at the bank and demand a meeting with him; you must hold some sort of special standing with the Goblins if they decide that something minor like you not being informed of your financial state warrants a meeting with him, an unscheduled one as well. I've read enough to know that if someone like Malfoy Senior were to strut in here and demand to see the manager he would be ejected from this establishment in a most painful manner."

Again Griphook let out a laugh but did not reply as he stopped and gestured towards a large pair of doors which appeared to consist of solid marble. "Master Ragnok awaits you, Mister Potter and friends. I shall wait here for your meeting to end to escort you back to the lobby."

"Thank you Mister Griphook." Harry said and nodded his thanks before approaching the door with Hermione by his side and Tonks right behind them. Just as he reached to push the one of the door open, it swung inwards by itself and let the three enter. They stepped through slowly and took in the room around them. It was opulently decorated, with many paintings depicting Goblins in combat, golden statues and gem-studded figures. At the centre of the room stood an enormous desk made from polished dark wood. Documents and other official looking folders were stacked on one side, some decorations and gold coins on the other.

Behind the desk sat a goblin that seemed to be a head taller than Griphook had been. Dressed in a black suit, the goblin had his hands folded on the table and seemed to evaluate each of them with his piercing gaze. He nodded in greeting and gestured towards the three chairs. Harry took the middle one, Hermione the one to his right and Tonks the one to his left.

"Ah, Mister Potter. A pleasure to finally make your acquaintance, to be honest I had expected to see you sometime last year or even earlier. Well, better late than never. Please, introduce your two companions."

"Thank you very much for having us, Master Goblin," Harry spoke in what he thought was his best formal tone, "this to my right is Hermione Granger, my best friend, and to my left is Auror Nymphadora Tonks, who would really prefer to only be called Tonks."

Ragnok let out a chuckle at Tonks scowl towards Harry. "Well Mister Potter, before I explain your finances to you, I'd like to give this to you which will save us having to attempt and get in touch with you. Please open it when you are in a secure location such as your home as it holds sensitive information." Ragnok said, sliding an envelope across the table with his name written in a neat script.

"Now Mister Potter, am I correct when I say that you have not received any statements regarding the Potter account at Gringotts over the years?"

Harry only confirmed this with a nod.

"I am not entirely sure how this would have happened, but I assume it is a combination of factors. First of all your legal guardian being Sirius Orion Black, who'd been in Azkaban for the better part of your life, meaning our letters regarding your vaults would not have reached him. It is my assumption that you've lived, and most likely still do, under a heavy set of wards for your own protection that have not been tuned to allow our mail to reach you. Should this be the case I highly recommend to speak with the owner of the property you live on to allow Gringotts mail to come through." The Goblin Master said.

Harry shot a glance at Tonks who nodded. "We will look into it, I'd rather be informed of any issues regarding my finances than be uninformed."

"Excellent. Now, onto more recent matters. I've been informed that you've noticed the increase in gold of your Trust Vault. Let me explain this by saying that your father had interesting views on money and very intriguing ways of going about them."

"You… You knew my father?" Harry asked, surprised.

Rubbing his chin, Ragnok sat back in his chair and seemed lost in thought for a moment. "Yes, I knew James Potter quite well. An outstanding Wizard with the best morals I had seen in a long time. We considered him a friend of the Goblin Nation."

At his proclamation Hermione gasped and raised a hand to her mouth. Turning his head to her with confusion etched on his face Harry looked at her in question. "Harry, being considered a friend of the Goblin Nation is the highest honour known of that Goblins bestow on wizards. It requires visiting the King of the Goblin Nation which I do not have to spell out is something not even Dumbledore is said to have done any time recently. There have been very few wizards that have been bestowed friendship by the Goblins. Your father must have been a great man, Harry."

'_So dad wasn't the bully that I saw in Snape's memory…'_

Speechless Harry turned back to Ragnok who had summoned a tumbler of what could be assumed to be the Goblin equivalent of Firewhiskey. "Quite correct Miss Granger. While we respect Dumbledore as a great leader and very powerful wizard, he is not quite a friend. My leaders have had their differences with him, but there is no bad blood. James Potter was an extraordinary human with an equally great wife. He'd been young, hard headed and stubborn to almost a point of foolishness but the heart of a warrior that would not stand for racial inequality. He had fought alongside Goblins several times in the first war against Voldemort, each time Voldemort had tried to raid a Gringotts branch or gain access to the caves and tunnels much of the Goblin folk reside in. His aggressive sense for business and opportunistic personality had greatly amused and appealed to our High King and he had decided to reward James' bravery for defending my brethren in battle like one of his own. By extension his wife was held in equal regard with the Goblins… and by further extensions this includes you, Mister Potter. I am quite sure that my king has been observing you and it will not long before he requests you to talk to him. I would like to bring you to him once he makes the request."

Sitting back and taking in the information, Harry's mind spun at the revelation. His father had been as great as Sirius and Remus had always made him out to be and this was definitely something Hary would be asking Remus about when he got home.

Tonks on the other hand furrowed her brows for a moment and spoke out. "If I've learned anything at Hogwarts and its History of Magic class, it is that Goblins very rarely do something without personal motivation. If I may be so bold, what do you gain from bringing Harry to your King?"

Smiling a closed smile, Ragnok looked and her and nodded. "Your reputation precedes you, Auror Tonks. As sharp as a knife."

"My… reputation?"

"Why yes, you are a former student of Mad-Eye Moody, are you not?" Seeing her nod, Ragnok continued. "Mad-Eye has some very old friends in the Goblin warrior ranks and does come by for frequent visits. I do not believe I've actually seen a human enjoy Goblin liquor as much as Alastor. He has spoken of you as an apprentice that actually might survive this war and that you actually use what he had taught you. Coming from Mad-Eye that is about as much praise that he is mentally capably of."

Seeing her surprised look, Ragnok continued. "But yes, you are right of course, I do have my personal motives and could profit quite a bit from bringing Mister Potter to my king. The loss of James Potter deeply upset my King and us, and as a Nation we swore blood feud against Tom Riddle. Rest assured that you will have our assistance in your battle against him, Mister Potter. My personal gain would be elevated standing with the King and my peers in the Goblin nation. If there are three things which Goblins value, they would be respect and honour, money and combat power. Rest assured that I am quite far up in the Goblin hierarchy, so any sort of promotion would be very unlikely, but if there is one thing Goblins will always strive for is more honour."

That, the three humans could understand. Being on friendly terms with Harry was beneficial to Ragnok and definitely a considerable factor to keep in mind if they needed financial assistance in the fight against Voldemort. Harry broke the silence, "And my Trust Vault?"

"Ah yes, excuse me for getting off track. Knowing that he and his wife would possibly not survive the war, your father set up a trust fund for you to be able to use for your schooling needs and any sort of other needs that you might have. Normally a trust fund is set so that it resets to a predetermined amount on a cycle, normally yearly or half-yearly. Given that your family's estate is rather extensive, James Potter set it up so that instead of resetting the vault to 50,000 galleons every 31st December, it would simply add 50,000 galleons on top of what was left in the vault from the main Vault, effective from the day of your father's unfortunate demise. Your family has many investments, including ones in the muggle world. Since they had been under our management, we met with Sirius Black last year to consult on said investments given that he'd be the caretaker of your financial needs until you reach majority. He had authorized us to use the trust vault to store some of the profit the Potter Estate makes from the mentioned investments, which enables us to circumvent a few… shall we say, Wizarding and Muggle taxation laws and restrictions." Ragnok explained, taking a sip from his tumbler of alcohol every now and then.

Nodding his understanding, Harry asked, "How much is in my trust vault currently? How much of it can I access?"

Snapping his fingers, the same book that Griphook had held earlier appeared in front of Ragnok. Turning the first page of it he looked over a few columns before he looked at Harry and spoke, "Just over 700,000 galleons. And you can access all of it."

Opening his mouth in shock, Harry wasn't quite sure what to say. Hermione was the one who made the next important discovery. "What is the current conversion rate of one Galleon to GBP?"

Giving them a wide smile, which of course did not bare any teeth, Ragnok smugly replied with a twinkle in his eye, "Given that the conversion rate is based upon actual weight per Galleon given that they are solid gold, about 33 pounds per Galleon."

All three of them gasped in surprise, mouths agape as they stared at the Goblin as he casually refilled his tumbler. "Yes Mister Potter, you are _quite_ wealthy. Just wait until you can access the rest of the Potter Estate, for there are many more surprises that await you."

* * *

Their visit with Ragnok had ended with a mysterious smile on his part, telling them that he'd see them again soon enough. Thanking Griphook for all his help after converting half the money Harry had withdrawn into Sterling, the trio exited Diagon Alley through The Leaky Cauldron and Tonks apparated them to central London to take Harry shopping.

Shopping with the two women had been a very interesting experience, one that Harry didn't interpret as a negative one at all. While he hated attention from those he did not know, he had basked in the attention from Tonks and Hermione who had him try on several dozens of outfits. Everything ranging from boxers and briefs to suits had been covered by the two women as Harry told them to set him up with anything he could possibly ever need in the near future, knowing that money would not be a problem.

The girls had been hesitant at first but Harry encouraged them and they threw all restrictions into the wind, not hesitating with prices or brand names as long as it looked good on Harry. Tonks had been very disappointed at the lack of a camera to take pictures of Harry's blushes when they picked out different types of underwear for him. Asking if it really mattered what his underwear looked like, Tonks had given him a lecherous grin and said that if someone were to take his pants off for him, he'd best be well dressed underneath as well, for her sake of course.

She may or may not have looked suggestively at Hermione who had sported a gigantic blush which Harry had missed entirely, caught up in his own embarrassment at Tonks' implication.

Buying an entirely new wardrobe meant a lot of clothing items. They had ended up meeting a young and energetic cashier who Harry estimated to be somewhere between the ages of himself and Tonks. If he hadn't been so busy and looked at her closer than he did, he would have recognised her as an absolute beauty. She introduced herself as Mandy and Tonks and Hermione instantly connected with her and soon she'd been their liaison between themselves and the store. Men walking around the store looked at Harry in envy, being showered in attention of three stunning ladies.

The three of them would lead Harry around the massive department store, critically assessing the things they'd picked out for him as he walked out of the change rooms. Everything Hermione and Tonks decided on buying they handed to Mandy who'd wait for them to choose as many things as she could carry and then bring them to her cashier and leave them there before returning. When Mandy had asked whether they were sure that they could pay for everything, Hermione and Tonks had grinned and said that Harry came from a _very _wealthy family and that money would be the least of their worries. This excited Mandy even more, telling them that she worked on commission and this would be like Christmas had come early.

It took the three females well over four hours to finish the assembly of Harry's new wardrobe. Harry now had multiples of everything. Ranging from swimming trunks to casual wear to shoes to semi-formal to suits – he now had everything.

The Goblins at Gringotts had had the foresight to provide him with a silver suitcase to hold all the notes of muggle currency that he converted. Needless to say they got some interesting looks as Harry lifted the suitcase onto the counter and started handing over wads of cash. Mandy's eyes had grown wide at the sight of all the money and had jokingly asked if they had robbed a bank or were involved in some kind of mafia, much to the entertainment of everyone. 4,000 pounds lighter they left behind a _very_ happy Mandy who had given Harry her business card with a wink and had told Tonks and Hermione to call her if they were ever in the neighbourhood to have a coffee together.

As Harry and Tonks started grabbing as many bags into each hand as they could carry, Mandy stood next to Hermione who'd take the remaining bags. With a slight nod towards Harry she spoke in a teasing tone, "So, he's just a friend eh?"

Raising her eyebrow like she always did, Hermione nodded. "Yes, we're best friends."

Letting out a ringing laugh, Mandy shook her head. "Keep telling yourself that girl, maybe one day it'll come true."

"What do you mean?" Hermione asked, having a good idea what she was referring to.

"Oh nothing. I could tell you, of course, but that would ruin all the fun for Tonks, ay? No, I shall let you figure it out on your own… after all, the journey is just as good as arriving."

Shaking her head, Hermione gathered the remaining bags. They all thanked Mandy and walked towards the escalators, moving up a floor. Tonks nodded towards the bathroom where she discreetly used Shrinking Charms on all the bags and placed them into Hermione's purse. Relieved that they wouldn't have to carry all the bags, the two asked Harry what he'd like to do now.

Looking around, Harry noticed that they were standing in the middle of the women's floor of the department store.

Harry smiled at the two girls and spoke, "Well since you two have taken the time this afternoon to go shopping with me and helped me acquire a new wardrobe through my absolute cluelessness, I'd like to use some of the money I have to treat you two. Since we're in the women's section I want you two to walk around and pick out some nice things for yourselves! You definitely deserve it."

Hermione smiled at his thoughtfulness and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Harry, you don't have to do that for us. Please don't think that you have to repay us in any fashion, we are happy to help you. And don't you dare think that now that you have money that you need to buy things for us to assure our friendship. We'll stand by you no matter what, you could have not a single knut to your name for all I care."

Tonks only nodded, deciding to let Hermione handle that one.

"I know 'Mione, but I'm not going to go back on this. I know you're by my side no matter what, you've proven that more times than I can count over the years. Please just accept this as a token of thanks for what you did for me today, you too Tonks. I don't know who else I could have asked to help me with this; I don't think that Remus or even Dumbledore would have been a lot of help in picking out clothing for me." Harry said with a smile. The two women laughed at the image of Harry going shopping with either Remus or Dumbledore.

Before Hermione could argue any further, Tonks took charge. "Alright, whatever we buy's on you Harry? Awesome, you're the best. Let's go Hermione! You just walk behind us and make sure that you don't fall behind and get lost, alright Harry?"

Without waiting for confirmation Tonks wandered off towards the dress section which was right next to the lingere and underwear. Hermione sent Harry a dazzling smile and squeezed his shoulder before following the energetic Auror.

Harry followed with a smile on his face. Seeing Hermione walk around with Tonks picking out several things and trying them on kept him smiling. What most men would have understood as the very definition of torture was a pleasant activity to him. He got to see Hermione in a completely different light than what he was used to in a magical setting or at school and Tonks was quickly growing on him too, maybe he could one day see her as an older sister that he never had.

Tonks had decided that since Harry was paying they shouldn't bother with boring clothing such as jeans and shirts but should get something fancier instead, so they stayed in the semi-formal to formal part of the floor, trying on several different dresses. Hermione had just entered the changing room with two dresses when Tonks stroked her chin with a thoughtful look.

Muttering something about wanting to check something she told Harry to stay in this area with Hermione and not wander off and that she'd be back soon enough. Harry shrugged and nodded, knowing that a Death Eater attack would be highly improbable in a muggle department store. If they'd been followed Tonks surely would have noticed and Voldemort's minions would have already made a move.

Hermione's voice shook him out of his thoughts. Looking up he saw Hermione's head peek out of her changing booth – only her head though, the rest of her body was hidden behind the door. She was biting her lower lip and looked at him. "Where's Tonks?" she asked, not seeing the Auror.

"She said something about checking something and walked off. We're supposed to stay in this area." Harry explained.

Hermione nodded and looked undecided for a moment. Her eyes met Harry's. "I quite like this dress, but I'm not sure… It's hmm, how do I explain this… I'd really like your opinion on it too, Harry, but I'd, umm, feel uncomfortable showing it to all the people walking around…," Not quite knowing where Hermione was going with this Harry just looked at her, waiting for her to continue.

'_Gryffindor courage, Granger. Just do it.'_

Seemingly having found a resolve, Hermione looked him dead in the eyes and spoke, "Could you come in here and have a look?"

Both of Harry's eyebrows shot higher onto his forehead at her request. "Y-You want me to come in there? Into the changing room? With you?" He asked just to make sure he had interpreted her question correctly.

Seeing her nod quickly, Harry found himself at a loss. _'It's Hermione you idiot. Go in there; charge in like a true Gryffindor! She's your best friend, what could possibly happen? She wants your opinion, get in there and bloody well give it to her!' _Was the argument his conscience provided.

Harry nodded to signal his agreement and stepped closer. Hermione stepped back into the cabin and Harry opened the door just enough for him to enter.

The first thing he noticed was that the cabin was the same size as the ones he'd used countless times earlier, meaning it wasn't very big and obviously not intended for two people. The next thing that came to his mind was the fact that Hermione stood close to him, less than an arm's length away. When he laid his eyes upon her his breath hitched and then stopped. The dress she had chosen was the quintessential "little black dress" – well maybe a tad fancier than that. Very thin spaghetti straps adorned Hermione's shoulders. It was a somewhat wide v-cut that made up the top and Harry could see that the dress was definitely snug on her chest. The proximity that Hermione stood in to him also made it very clear to him that his best friend was _definitely_ female.

The dress was made from some sort of shiny material that sparkled and glittered in the light. Like her chest, it hugged the rest of her body tightly and ended mid-thigh where it seemed slightly baggy. Harry's eyes kept wandering down her body to her bare feet, taking in her legs. _'They look so smooth.'_

A smile played around her lips as she saw Harry's wide eyes gazing over her body. She slowly turned on the spot so he could see her sides and back. The dress was bare to the middle of her upper back, starting on the same level as her chest. Being a hormonal teenager, Harry definitely appreciated the fit of the dress around her hips. Completing her turn, Hermione asked, "Well?"

Looking her in the eyes, Harry wasn't quite sure how to respond. Taking his favoured approach of being blunt and honest, he spoke. "Hermione, you look drop dead gorgeous. Absolutely beautiful. You walk out there right now in that dress and men will start brawling over who gets to stand the closest to you."

Feeling her cheeks burn at his compliments, Hermione adverted her gaze for a second. "Oh stop it Harry, that would never happen. I'm not even wearing shoes or make up-"

Harry interrupted her the second he could see her insecurity surface again in her eyes, reminding himself of the look in her eyes earlier on her bed.

He moved forward slightly, reducing the distance between them. "No Hermione, listen to me. Look at me." He waited a moment before she looked at him again. "I'm being entirely serious. You look amazing and I don't care what you say, that dress is going into your wardrobe one way or another."

Biting her lip again she stared into his green eyes for a moment. "Really?"

"Yes. I know I don't say it much and I'm terrible with stuff like this, but you can't even imagine how beautiful you look right now. _I'd_ certainly brawl with any guy over the right to stand closest to you." Harry finished with a smile.

Once more Hermione's cheeks lit up and she quickly pulled him into a hug. "Thank you Harry… you're so sweet when you want to be!"

Her arms were around his waist this time and Harry smiled as she pressed her face against his shoulder. His arms slowly closed around her shoulders. Being acutely aware of her definitely female assets pressing into him Harry tried to not get distracted. He did, after all, have something to say to her.

"I mean it Hermione, that dress suits you perfectly. You don't need make-up or shoes to go with it, you look gorgeous either way."

The bespectacled wizard could feel her smile against his shirt and chuckle lightly. Waiting for her to stop he could feel her pulling away but tightened his arms around her shoulders.

"Stay, just for a moment." Feeling her arms take their place around his waist again he continued, "I'd like to apologize for earlier."

Harry could feel Hermione pull her head slightly away from him shoulder and look at him. "What are you apologizing for?"

"Do you remember earlier on your bed? When you said that you might just lie on top of me again to make sure I'd be comfortable?"

Feeling her nod, he took a breath before continuing. "I was just trying to be funny when I implied that I didn't enjoy it. For future reference, I really did – you are very nice and cuddly and I would definitely not complain if you took refuge upon myself again. So yeah, I'm sorry if I made you feel unappreciated or something earlier."

When she didn't say anything for a moment Harry thought to himself he had done something wrong and prepared a mental lashing for himself. He stopped though when he heard her whisper.

"How did you know that I felt like that?" Her voice was barely a whisper.

"You do learn a few things when you spend almost every minute of your time with someone for ten months each year for five years. I've almost had every single meal with you and most of my classes and every time we have free time you're either watching me play and practise Quidditch, sit at my bed in the Hospital Wing or help me with homework and study in the Common Room. We know a lot about each other and while I seem quite daft at times I reckon I can be pretty observant. Your whole body language changes when you're upset, and earlier I could see it in your eyes. Your eyes are always the first place I look if I need to know what you're feeling or thinking. They're very expressive, your eyes, Hermione." Harry explained in a low tone. Given the fact that they were in a hug he did not need to speak and louder for her to hear.

He loosened his arms around her shoulders and she took a step back. "Thank you Harry. You didn't need to apologize for that but I am happy that you did." A wide smile adorned her face and Harry couldn't help to notice how pretty her smile was.

She turned around and held her hair up. "Could you undo the zipper? Saves me from having to awkwardly try and reach it."

Taking in the sight of Hermione's creamy skin Harry slowly pulled the zipper down, revealing her back to him all the way to its lower part. He gulped at seeing the back of her bra, praying to himself to not do anything stupid.

Feeling the zipper undone she let her hair fall again and turned back to him. "Well I want to try this one now," she said, a wicked smile on her lips, as she nodded towards an emerald dress hanging from the hook on the cabin's wall, "and I think I need your much valued opinion on this one as well."

Not quite understanding what Hermione wanted from him Harry gave her a blank look. She mock-sighed and gestured down her body and then for him to turn around.

Harry was facing the cabin door and was quite shocked. Who was this person and what had she done to Hermione Granger? What had happened to the shy slightly introverted bookworm he knew at school? Was this what Hermione was like out of school, away from all their peers and pressure? Growing contemplative, Harry realized that he had never actually properly spent time with her alone outside of school. When they saw each other at the Burrow or at Headquarters, it had normally been around other people. Ron and Ginny had almost always been there.

Harry realized that he liked this Hermione, a lot. She was exciting and even more fun to be around than usual. Then he pondered his current situation. He was currently in a muggle shopping mall, standing inside the very same cabin as her. She was less than a foot behind him, _undressing._ Somehow Harry doubted that she'd take just any bloke into a changing booth and get changed behind them so she could get their bloody _opinion_ on an article of clothing.

Just as he thought that, he felt her place something over his shoulder. Letting his eyes at least look at what it was, he saw she had placed the black dress over his shoulder as if he'd been a clothes hanger in a bedroom corner.

It was then that he realized. _'Hermione is standing right behind me wearing nothing more than her bra and knickers.' _Recalling that her bra had been black Harry couldn't help but think, _'I wonder if her knickers match?' _The image of the sky blue ones that he had held earlier in her room flashed into his mind and before he knew it he imagined Hermione in a soft black cotton bra and matching panties. Blushing a bright red Harry had to control his body with unreal willpower to not get an erection at such a thought. _'She'd definitely kill me if she knew! Think other things. Quidditch. No, not Hermione on my Firebolt in black underwear, no. Umbridge. Yes. Umbridge. In underwear.'_

That did the trick and his blush quickly turned into a face of disgust. A pat on his shoulder shook him out of his thoughts. "I'm almost done putting this one on. Since you decided you're definitely buying the black one for me you might as well hang onto it."

Harry only managed an "Okay."

A few moments later he could feel her small hand tug on his shirt to make him turn around. Harry's gaze wandered over her body. This dress was a bit more formal and longer. It was strapless unlike the black one.

One glance into Harry's eyes told her everything she needed to know – it seemed like she had two dresses to add to her wardrobe. All that she now needed were occasions to wear them to.

* * *

The three left the department store highly satisfied. Tonks had returned with two packages that she had said she wanted Harry to get for her. Harry just nodded happily, still slightly dazed from his encounter with Hermione in the changing room.

Hermione had raised an eyebrow at Tonks – she knew that the Auror had been eyeing the underwear section for a while. Whether her timing to wander off to that section had been intentional to get her to spend time with Harry alone she didn't know, but wasn't about to complain anyway.

The sun was setting and it was approaching night time. Much to the surprise of Harry and Hermione, Tonks said she knew a good Chinese place they could get takeaway from. Laughing at their expressions Tonks mentioned that she did have a father who was muggle-born and they had spent many days in muggle London, near his place of work.

They ordered big servings of rice, stir fried beef, vegetables and lemon-sauce based chicken to feed all four of them at Grimmauld Place.

The trio entered Headquarters to find Remus sitting in the kitchen drinking a Butterbeer and reading a book. When he saw them enter he smiled and waved.

"Looks like you survived, Harry. I hope they weren't too bad to you." He said with a grin.

Harry laughed at the scowls Tonks and Hermione sent the werewolf, and shrugged. "Nah, it was actually quite fun."

Hermione placed all of the shrunken bags on the kitchen table to show Remus just how much they had bought for Harry. Remus raised an eyebrow when he realized just how many shrunken bags he was looking at and shot Hermione a questioning look. She shrugged as well and said, "We made a few discoveries at Gringotts before we went shopping. We'll tell you about that later – we got Chinese by the way. Why don't you prepare to reheat it so Tonks can change and I'll help Harry unpack his purchases?" She suggested.

Everyone nodded and went about their tasks.

Hermione hadn't seen Harry's room when she arrived earlier in the day but now saw that it was really quite the mirror image to her own in terms of furniture. She opened his walk-in closet only to see his trunk on the floor of it, realizing he hadn't bothered to unpack yet. With a flick of her wand the trunk opened while Harry was enlarging all of the shopping bags. Quite surprised at not finding his trunk to be a mess but instead neatly organised she wondered if Dumbledore had lent Harry a magical hand when packing his things at his former home.

"Are there any clothes in here you want to keep?" She asked, pointing at his trunk. Harry looked at her in thought for a moment before shaking his head.

"No, only my Quidditch jersey."

Hermione nodded and piled his old clothes on the floor, including his old underwear and socks. Throwing him his Quidditch jersey she quickly rummaged through the bags until she found the one with the new clothes he could wear at home. A light grey pair of cotton tracksuit pants followed his jersey and she told him to put them on as well as a pair of new socks and boxers that she had picked out for him.

Harry dutifully walked into the bathroom and got changed. She held a hand out for the clothes he had just taken off.

"Come with me, I want to do something before we sort your new clothes."

Trusting her without question, Harry simply followed her as she levitated Dudley's old clothes in front of her. They got to the front door and stepped outside. Hermione walked down the few steps outside the front porch. Standing on the last step she unceremoniously dropped the bundle of clothes on the ground and gestured Harry to stand next to her.

"What are we doing out here?"

"Closing this particular chapter of your life, of course." She explained, pointing at his old clothes. "Do it, Harry. Set them ablaze and watch the last reminder of your time with the Durselys slowly burn away."

Looking at her with wide eyes, Harry stared at the clothes. He agreed, he'd rather burn them and not be reminded of this part of his past through his old clothes. In what was barely a whisper he asked, "Do the wards apply out here as well?"

She nodded. "They should."

With a resolute nod he pointed his wand and casted _"Incendio."_

The pile of clothes slowly caught fire and started burning. Hermione looked to her right to see Harry stand rigid, his eyes wet. His face was a grimace – he was obviously remembering less happy times with his relatives that he associated with the clothes. She took a step closer to him and sneaked her arm around his waist to hold him close to her as tears started rolling down his cheeks.

He did not move, he did not sob. Harry just stood there silently as his old hand-me-downs burned in a magical fire, slowly releasing his pain at having lived with his terrible relatives. His left arm slowly came up and went around her shoulders as she kept holding him as he silently cried and metaphorically cleansed himself of their mistreatment of him.

She smiled a sad smile, glad to have made the right decision regarding his old clothes. Pulling him against her a bit tighter she leaned her head against his shoulder, lending what emotional support she could without saying anything. She knew that he was aware of her being there for him and no words needed to be said.

After a few minutes, only a small pile of ash remained and the magical fire died. A gust of wind came out of nowhere and carried the ash into the winds, as if Mother Nature herself agreed with Hermione and helped Harry wash away the pain.

Nothing was left as the wind settled and Harry raised his eyes to the horizon to see the last rays of the sun before night settled. Hermione had not moved, waiting for him to give the signal to get back inside.

"Thank you Hermione," he whispered, "I couldn't do this without you."

"No need to thank me Harry," she whispered back, "I know you'd do the same for me with no questions asked."

He nodded.

"Let's get back inside and sort out your closet. After all, we have just opened a new chapter in the life of Harry Potter, right?" Hermione said, turning around to the door to see Tonks and Remus stand there. Harry hadn't turned yet and hadn't noticed their presence. If he had turned he would've seen them stand there as close as he and Hermione did with suspiciously wet eyes as well.

They sent Hermione a sad smile before quickly retreating back into the house, not wanting to make Harry feel uncomfortable.

Harry did eventually turn around and took Hermione's outstretched hand as she led him back to his room.

* * *

Sorting Harry's clothes into his closet didn't take them very long given that there were two of them working on it. As Harry emptied the last bag, the letter Ragnok had given him at the bank earlier fell onto his bed.

He picked it up and contemplated opening it but he could hear Remus call him and Hermione down to get some dinner. Figuring it could wait until after dinner, he left the letter on his bed and followed his best friend downstairs.

Dinner was a pretty light affair, with Tonks commenting how she may have seen Harry and Hermione exit the same changing booth, inspiring some good natured ribbing from Remus as well, causing the two teenagers to look mightily uncomfortable as they blushed bright red.

As they finished their sweet dumplings for desert, the fireplace lit up and the four recognized the distinguished face of Kingsely Shacklebolt. Seeing Tonks face he looked relieved.

"There you are, Tonks. I'm afraid I have to call you in, Dawlish called in sick just now and we're short one wand for the first guard shift. Let's go partner, also Amelia wants to see me and I figured you might as well tag along before the shift." He informed her in his deep baritone, waving to Harry, Hermione and Remus in greeting.

Tonks groaned in displeasure. "Give me 5, I'll get my robes and badge." The Auror nodded and wished everyone a pleasant night before disappearing.

"Well folks, there you have it. Number one reason to not become an Auror: loss of sleep." Tonks grumbled as she got up and left the kitchen.

Seeing Remus looking haggard and tired, Hermione told him to go rest while she and Harry cleaned up. The tired werewolf shot them a grateful smile before carrying himself up the stairs to his room on the third floor.

"The full moon is near." Hermione stated with a worried look and Harry nodded with a sad sigh. They started cleaning the table as Tonks came back, dressed in full Auror gear and her hair in the colour black.

"I've no idea when I'll be back so don't stay up waiting for me. If you don't see me for breakfast then I'll be asleep in my room due to being out for way too long. Please wake me before lunch otherwise I'll totally screw up my sleeping pattern!" Tonks said as she stood in front of the fireplace.

"Will do Tonks, maybe this time I'll get to be the one to hit you with a pillow." Harry reassured her.

Blowing him a raspberry, the young Auror disappeared in a flash of green flames.

After cleaning the kitchen Harry looked at Hermione who had just retrieved another two bottles of Butterbeer for them. "Want to go relax in the drawing room for a while? I don't really feel tired yet."

Hermione looked at him in mild surprise. "I'd love to." She said and the two turned off all lights except for one so that Tonks didn't succumb to her occasional clumsiness and destroy the kitchen when she returned, as they made their way to the first floor.

* * *

Harry went into his room and retrieved the letter. Thinking for a second he took the blanket from his bed as well. Despite it being summer it still got cold at night and the Black Mansion just had an uncomfortably cold feeling to it sometimes, so a blanket might definitely make sitting in the drawing room more comfortable.

The last Potter entered the Drawing Room to see Hermione already sit on the two seater couch in front of the fire place. She had only turned a small lamp on the table next to the couch on. She sat on the couch with her arms around her knees which she had pulled close to her chest. Seeing Harry enter with a blanket in his hand her eyes brightened. She also saw the letter in his hand. Gesturing at the spot next to her, Harry sat down. Looking undecided for a second, Harry took the blanket and threw it over Hermione's legs. She had changed as well, now wearing a very baggy sweater and pants similar to his. Glad that he wasn't the only one feeling cold in the house's atmosphere despite the summer climate on the outside. He shuffled closer to her and pulled the blanket over his legs as well.

It only took Hermione a moment to lean against him and wrap her arms around his instead of her knees, leaning her head against his shoulder against his head like she had done all day.

Wondering about how affectionate Hermione had been all day, Harry smiled and placed his head on hers. After a while he pulled out his wand and pointed it at the fireplace. Whispering the incantation, the fireplace lit and started filling the room with sounds of wood cracking. Hermione looked up and smiled at Harry. The fire made this set up oddly romantic and she found it very comfortable. Looking back at her day she wondered when she had gotten so physically comfortable with Harry.

Harry on the other hand grabbed the letter next to him and broke the Gringotts seal. Discarding the envelope he unfolded the expensive looking parchment and looked at the green ink that Gringotts wrote in. He tilted the letter so that Hermione could read it at the same time as him.

It only took them a minute or so to read over the letter. It was their notice of Sirius' will reading to be held on the upcoming Sunday. Harry stiffened. He had not known that Sirius had a will and if the letter was any indication, it had listed him as one of the people mentioned in it. The letter specifically addressed both Hermione and him, much to Hermione's surprise.

"Sirius really liked you too Hermione," Harry whispered in a sombre tone, "You shouldn't be surprised. He probably wrote his will sometime last year…" Harry's voice trailed off, remembering the summer he had spent here last year.

Hermione gave him a sad smile and leaned her head against his shoulder again. Unlike most people, she knew that attempting to coax Harry to talk about his feelings or grief over Sirius would achieve nothing but push him away. That much she had learned over the years. Harry would talk to her about it when he was ready, until then all she could do was take the lead and involve him in other things. He needed time to deal with things on his own and she was willing to provide him with as much time as he needed to get over Sirius' death. She wasn't sure if he had stopped blaming himself for Cedric yet, but time would tell.

The silence between them was comfortable. They didn't need to talk to enjoy each other's presence. With the fire and the blanket they were plenty warm and comfortable.

After about an hour, Harry's back felt stiff from sitting in that position and Hermione could feel his body stiffen, trying to work out the kink in his back. Deciding to take the charge like her inner Gryffindor commanded, she sat up on the couch on her knees and took the pillow from her side and leaned over Harry to stack it on the one that was on his side. Following her movement with his eyes Harry was once more not sure what she was planning this time, but like all the other times, he'd trust her and just go with it.

Having completed her preparations, Hermione pushed Harry's shoulders gently. Getting the hint he moved towards the end of the couch. "Lie down." She quietly requested, nodding towards the pillows. Taking her command quite literally, Harry lay down as if was on a bed, his head finding comfort on the two pillows. His knees were still curled close to his body. Her soft hand tugged at one of his pant legs to let him know to stretch them, so he did. Pulling her wand out of her pocket she flicked it at the lamp and turned it off, leaving only the fire place to gently illuminate the room.

Hermione then sent Harry a small smile and slowly snuck herself between his legs. Quickly catching her intention, Harry relaxed so that she could make herself comfortable. Moments later she lay on top of, her legs between his once more. Her back was against the back of the couch as she essentially lay sideways on top of him, her head resting on the part under his collarbone where his shoulder and chest connected.

Taking the blanket she pulled it over the two of them, enjoying the comfort. Slowly her top arm snuck around his waist again which came with the automatic reply of one of his arms wrapping itself around her shoulders.

"Hermione?" Harry softly said after some time.

"Hmm?" She replied in what could be counted as a content purr.

"You're the best." He said with a touch of amusement in his voice.

"I am aware." She said nonchalantly, gently rubbing his side with the hand she had wrapped around his waist.

He chuckled lightly. "You know, this is the first time we've spent a day pretty much alone outside of school." Harry remarked.

"You're right," Hermione agreed after thinking for a while, "at least the first time without any of our peers from school. Tonks doesn't really count, and neither do the Goblins."

She could feel Harry nod. "And what a day it's been," he said, "thank you for making it awesome." This time Harry could see the bright smile on her face at his words. Feeling proud of himself for having said something that had made her smile a beautiful smile he made a mental note to try and do this as much as he could.

"So you enjoyed yourself then?" She mumbled into his shirt as she slightly adjusted her position.

"I don't think I've ever had so much fun in a day at all this year." Harry replied. "You know Hermione, you're really quite a bit different outside of school." He added almost as an afterthought.

"Is that a good thing?" Hermione asked hesitantly, looking up from his chest.

Nodding gently, Harry said, "Yes, definitely."

Pausing for a second, Hermione finally said, "I don't think it's so much that we're out of school. I think it's more that we're alone without anyone being there to ruin anything or to pressure us. Being this comfortable with you certainly helps."

Smiling at her, Harry spoke with a touch of amusement, "Oh so you're comfortable around me?"

Giving him a mock-glare, Hermione spoke, "I am currently lying on top of you in pyjamas. Earlier today I let you cast a Tickling Charm on me and then lay on you. Let's not even mention the changing booth, Potter. I am pretty sure there's no one else I would even hug more than once in a day."

Smiling broadly now, Harry leaned his head back against the pillows. For some reason, that statement really warmed him up on the inside. "You're also quite different when we're alone, you know." Hermione said this time.

"I am? Really?"

"Yes you are. You joke a lot more. You just seem a lot more comfortable in your skin. I started noticing it in the morning when I arrived and you actually responded to my hug at lunch. You actually fool around with Tickling Charms and tease me as well. You don't complain about things like helping me sort my clothes and then daringly hold one of my panties. I don't think the Harry Potter I see at school for most of the year would do any of those things willingly." She explained to him, causing him to pause.

'_She's right. Of course she's right. It's bloody Hermione, I can't actually recall the last time she'd been wrong.'_

"It's because of you, Hermione. Like you said earlier, I feel comfortable around you. No pressure, no one else around that makes me feel obliged to do anything. If I were alone with anyone else I think I'd behave totally different."

"Well that's good then." She concluded with a smile into his chest. Her hand grabbed the blanket and pulled it a bit higher as she cuddled into his chest more, rubbing her cheek against his jersey.

It was an entirely new experience for Harry. _'I wonder if it would take five years for me to be comfortable around Cho… heh. No, she's definitely out of the picture.' _It was Hermione who broke the comfortable silence after a while.

"You referred to me as your best friend a couple of times today…"

"Yes?"

"When you say that… Do you mean it so that I'm closer to you than Ronald?" She hesitantly asked. _'I guess this is what people call a moment of truth.'_

Harry didn't hesitate at all. "Yes, definitely closer to me than Ron. As mean as it sounds, you're a better friend to me than Ron, Hermione."

"Why?" The girl on top of him asked in a small voice.

A small smiled formed on Harry's face as he replied. "I once read somewhere that friendship is not about who came first, it's about who stayed. Ron is… well, episodic I guess. He has his moments where he is consumed in his jealousy and I can't rely on him. He lets his insecurities cloud his judgement I think. After all, who stuck with me through our entire fourth year? Who taught me the Summoning Charm and believed my side of the story unconditionally? I would not have survived that tournament without you, Hermione. It's been you for a while, probably since third year."

"What do you mean?" She inquired, wanting to hear what he had to say.

"In third year you were willing to accept my anger with you and disregarded my temper, accepting to not talk to me again if it meant that I was safe when you told McGonagall about the broom. As I already said you stuck with me all through fourth year, even when I didn't stand up for you to Ron when I should have about the whole Yule Ball issue. Ron spent a good part of the year being a downright prat to me, being jealous of me being the Triwizard champ. Did he honestly I think that I of all people could fool Dumbledore's age-line? A powerful spell cast by Albus Dumbledore himself which none of the fifth and sixth years could bypass either? A spell that Dumbledore obviously prepared so that maybe for once in my time at school I wouldn't be in trouble and in the centre of it all?" Harry cleared his throat before continuing.

"At the start of last year you weren't afraid of my temper when I didn't reply to any of your letters… Ron always cowers away when I get angry or yell around. You on the other hand sit there, listen, take it, and then yell back just as furiously to tell me how much of an idiot I am being. You sacrificed spending Christmas with your family to come to help me instead… and if I recall correctly you were the one who went to Gwarp with me, not Ron. You were the one who saved me from being tortured by Umbridge, not Ron, who stood around and looked like a fish out of water. Without you the DA would not exist and would not have been a success either way. It was only with the training from the DA that all of us survived in the ministry, Hermione, we have to all thank you for that one. Oh and let's not forget third year, where you were willing to risk creating a time-paradox for me and broke all rules set to you by McGonagall about the Time Turner just to… just to save Sirius and Buckbeak."

Hermione could feel him choke up at the last point about Sirius and ran her hand over his chest in soothing circles.

"You're the only lying on top of me now, comforting me… In this hard time for me." Harry did his best to not think about Sirius now and focus on Hermione only.

"God Hermione, you do so much for me and I've never thanked you for any of it…" He managed to get out, tightening the arm around her.

She smiled at him and he saw her eyes were wet as well. "You don't have to thank me for anything, Harry. You do so much more for me than you realize and I never thanked you for any of it either."

"I do? What do I do?" Our protagonist asked, confusion etched in his face.

Hermione rolled onto her stomach so that she now lay with her chest between his stomach and chest. She put her chin atop her arms folded over another and looked at him. His legs tightened a bit around hers but she didn't mind.

"You saved me in our first year even though you didn't really have a reason to. I was an insufferable know-it-all who bossed people around so they couldn't get to me. Well, Ron managed anyway. After saving me you offered me friendship. Harry Potter himself wanted to be my friend – that itself blew me away. Over the summer I thought it had all been a joke or dream. Yet the second we get to Hogwarts you were there, you looked so happy to see me well. And from there on you were always there for me as well. In fourth year when Ron was being such a prat at the dance because of Viktor, you were there to comfort me. You looked past the too-intelligent-for-her-own-good bookworm and befriended the lonely girl inside. I never had friends before I went to Hogwarts and all I wanted was someone to take note of me, someone to spend time with me after studying, and that turned out to be you. I know I can always count on you to be there for me if I need you and fight for me when I can't do it myself. And that, Harry, is why you're my best friend and why I am so comfortable around you." Hermione explained, her eyes not leaving his for a single moment in her explanation.

Finishing, she rolled back on her side to place her head where she felt comfortable. Harry let out a low laugh. "It's funny how similar we were in first year. Neither of us had friends and that's all we wanted. Acceptance. You looked past The-Boy-Who-Lived and got to know the real Harry Potter, a young lonely boy with a scar that brought him unwanted fame. I guess I looked past the highly intelligent bookwormish girl and got to know the real girl behind the brains. And this is why I am currently so comfortable having you lie on top of me as if we'd done this every day for the past year."

"You make a good pillow," Hermione agreed with a laugh, "you're warm and comfy."

"Pfft," Harry snorted, "you make a great blanket yourself. Keeping me warm and something to hold on to."

Another silence passed between them. Harry guessed that the time was approaching one in the morning.

"Can… Can we stay like this Harry?" Hermione asked, sounding shy. Harry seemed unsure for a moment.

In what was barely a whisper he said, "If you want to, I'd really like that but… I, I might have nightmares and that could end up being dangerous for you…"

Trying to dispel his fears, Hermione gave him a coy smile. "I like dangerous boys, Mister Potter. Why do you think I stick around?" She laughed at his expression. "Don't worry," she continued, "I will be here for you even through your worst nightmares."

Harry looked particularly emotional at her declaration but nodded. With a flick of his wand the fire went out.

"Thank you Hermione… Good night."

Pushing herself up a bit, Hermione placed a lingering kiss onto his cheek. "Good night Harry." With that she felt his other arm wrap around her as well and she pulled the blanket up to her nose and placed one of her legs over one of his, intertwining them.

* * *

**Author's Note #2: **Well, fuck me sideways. My attempt at keeping the chapter shorter ended up in making it super long. This is actually 500 words longer than the first chapter. Woops. My bad. This one just wrote itself, I swear. The words just flowed out of my fingertips. I know that this chapter is super fluffy in some parts and if you don't like that, then don't read. I've always felt that Harry's relationship to Hermione should have been stronger than is portrayed in the books. I will write two more chapters, one for each day until Thursday when Dumbledore makes his next appearance. These days will be very detailed like this one I think because they are foundation chapters. Recall the name of this story – they haven't even discovered the rune system yet that I thought of! There is lots more coming!

I apologize if this chapter feels a bit slow, but that is a necessary evil. Characters are bit OOC in this I guess, deal with it.

I also always felt that Hermione and Harry would be interested to observe in private, then it's just the two of them – I just feel like they'd be quite a bit different than what we see them act like around other students. Peace!


	3. A Week Like No Other: Day 2

**Harry Potter & The Runic Affinity**

**Author's Note #1: **Again a thanks to the people that reviewed. Someone said that they should just kiss already. Alas, it won't be that easy. There will be a build-up. I WILL TEASE YOU ALL MERCILESSLY. It will take time for Harry and Hermione to move onto being more than best friends for they need to discover intimacy. More of that later. It is a fine line between being too fluffy and being good. There's some action in this chapter, yay. Let's see how I'll go writing an action sequence for a Harry Potter fic. Oh, and in case no one knew, English isn't actually my first language (if I capitalize the occasional random word, do forgive me) so I like to derp here and there with grammar despite it being a pet peeve of mine. General consensus has been that long chapters are good. I thus present to you the mother of all chapters.

Mother of god, I'm currently 11k words in and just scrolled all the way back up here. This is one long fucking chapter so get your pizza rolls out and get comfortable. Back to writing.

At 15k now. Gonna break 2k easily at this rate. Whoops?

Hit the 20k. Fuck me. I pretty much wrote all through the night and morning. I even got pancakes and tea while I wrote. You know shit is serious when I get some fucking pancakes out. If you ever see me talk about pancakes again you better drop a fucking review cause it means shit got real and I worked hard.

**Also. I made a mistake, I accidentally misspelled Grawp's name and may have put Harry's age at 16 instead of 15. He's turning 16 a few chapters. Totally forgot and messed that up, my brain has failed me. I'll go back and fix it later. Thanks a lot, **_**texan-muggle,**_** for pointing that out. Brofist, xoxo no homo.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. I don't even own these words, much less anything to do with Harry Potter. I do own a poster of Emma Watson that makes all my mates drool when they come to my house.**

* * *

**Chapter 3: A Week Like No Other. Day 2.**

Tonks sincerely hoped Harry and Hermione were having a better night than her. She was currently crouching behind a couch, a grim expression on her face as she saw the blood stains on her Auror robe. Most of it wasn't her own, she only had one cut along her right arm from flying debris and that wound was rather superficial. Kingsely was hiding behind a marble pillar. A couple of meters away from him were Amelia and Susan Bones, taking cover behind a large table that had fallen over.

It had all started out simple enough. Tonks had floo'd over to the Ministry where she met Kingsely. The two had quickly gotten themselves a coffee for the road at a muggle late-night café. Their boss, Amelia Bones, wanted to talk to Kingsley about something she didn't want to discuss at the Ministry and had invited him to her home after hours and had said she wouldn't mind Tonks being there either. Figuring this would either be about the war or the Order, or possibly both, Tonks agreed to go too before filling in the first night shift before going back to Grimmauld Place to finally sleep after a long day.

It had all gone to shit the second the two Aurors arrived outside the ward line of the Bones property. They had started walking down the long path to the front door when they froze. They jumped into action the second they felt the Anti-Apparition Wards go down. Taking cover behind a large hedge, Kingsley quickly retrieved a small gold coin from his pockets and pressed his wand to it. It was the same type Hermione had invented for the DA to arrange the next meeting time and was a genius idea which Dumbledore had really liked. He had copied the concept, which she didn't even know yet, and had distributed coins to most of the Order members. If they were in trouble they could send their location via coin to Dumbledore who would organise reinforcements as quickly as possible.

The Aurors had a similar system that worked with their badge which would notify an alarm in the Auror Headquarters and normally instantly bring in reinforcements. When she tried, nothing happened. Kingsley give her a grim nod, "That was to be expected." He said in his booming voice, staying calm and collected. "I see spellfire, we better get in there and save our Boss." Tonks nodded and they had moved as quickly to the entrance as they could, staying behind cover.

They found Amelia and Susan Bones pinned down in the lobby of their manor, which was basically a large square room with decorations and a fancy chandelier. They were trying to avoid the curses from at least a dozen Death Eaters, they had taken out one already. Amelia's two soldiers burst in and immediately started firing at the intruders, trying to split them up and cause as much confusion as they could so they could group up with the two women.

It had been swift and brutal for a short while. Tonks and Kingsley looked grim but composed. Against such a large force they had to shoot to kill or to seriously maim and disable. Stunning an enemy for them to only be revived later and pop out of nowhere was a deadly rookie mistake in such a situation. They know Dumbledore preferred for his Order members to not kill but there was little option here. The kiddie gloves came off and the big curses came out.

Tonks had fought back to back with Kingsley as they drove the Death Eaters to the corners of the lobby, quickly making their way to the two Bones women. _'Looks like Voldemort didn't send any of his good fighters… Not surprising since Harry put most of them in Azkaban a few weeks ago,' _Tonks had thought to herself, _'Voldemort wanted to overwhelm Amelia quickly with numbers. Well fuck 'ya Tommy boy, you're getting my boss over my dead body!'_

Tonks had exploded two skulls in a gory fashion with well-placed _"Reducto!" _spells. She had seen Kingsley take off several limbs with Severing Charms, including at least one head. They had cut down the dozen to seven or eight, making the fight somewhat more even. They had taken cover on each side of the Bones women, nodding to Amelia in greeting as they waited for the Death Eaters to make their next move, who had taken cover in several places between them and the door.

Taking a quick breath, Kingsley shot Tonks a look and started waving his wand in a complex fashion while mumbling under his breath. The black haired beauty knew she'd have to cover her partner for a while as he raised the Anti-Portkey ward. "Alright," he finally said after a minute, "Ward's up. They're not gonna get away." He looked determined and Tonks was glad he was on their side.

"How long 'til backup, King?" She asked just loud enough for him to hear. Five fingers was the response. Taking a deep breath she peeked over her couch to assess the situation. One problem with Death Eater regalia was that it was bulky and hard to find cover with as the robes tended to stick out around corners and the masks reflected light. Tonks looked up at the chandelier in the lobby and then looked at Kingsley who had followed her gaze. He nodded.

"Madam Bones," Tonks whispered urgently, "I know you're as good a fighter as we are but please stay in cover and defend your niece." Seeing her boss shoot her a hard look Tonks understood that she too wanted to get out there and rip those pathetic Death Eaters a new one. The young Metamorph set her jaw, "You're the target here ma'am, it is our mission to ensure your survival over everything, especially since Susan is considered a civilian."

Reluctantly Amelia nodded. "I will be providing cover-fire." She said in a tone that would not accept anything else. Tonks nodded, having expected that much. Her eyes went to her Auror partner for a moment again, he had picked up on her plan.

"Director Bones, requesting permission to fight fire with fire." Tonks said, swallowing hard. A look of understanding came over Amelia who nodded. "Granted, Auror Tonks and Shaklebolt."

Tonks and Kingsely reached into their robes and pulled out what appeared to be Muggle sunglasses.

The two shared a look and Tonks whispered. "On three, partner." Seeing Kingsley nod she whispered the count down. As she hit "one", the two leaped out of cover.

"_Reducto!" _Tonks fired at the chandelier's support chain with perfect aim, causing it to fall to the ground and explode into hundreds of pieces, as she quickly moved behind another stone pillar, seeing Kingsley do the same. It was now almost pitch black in the room and they could hear the yells of confusion from the Death Eaters who did not know how to deal with the situation.

The glasses the two Aurors wore had three functions. One, they looked cool as hell, two they protected their eyes from the shattering glass of the chandelier and three they provided them an equivalent of the muggle night-vision. Seeing the room clearly in black and white, she spotted a Death Eater to Kingsley's left, right in what she assumed to be her partner's blind spot from his cover. Quickly she raised her wand at the disoriented enemy she spoke forcefully, letting the rest of the Death Eaters know that it was now time for business.

"_Avada Kedavra!" _She yelled, watching as the light impacted into the Death Eater's chest and he unceremoniously collapsed to the ground without a sound.

This caused panic amongst the remaining seven Death Eaters. One of their own had just fallen to their strongest spell and main method of instilling fear and intimidation and they were stuck. If they used any spells emitting light they'd give away their position and they'd surely die.

"Smoke 'em out, will ya Tonksie?" Kingsley's voice loudly boomed across the room as they now understood the full extent of their advantage against the Death Eaters despite their significantly lower numbers.

In a flurry of wand movements, Tonks began sending out Reductor Curses and Blasting Curses at the places she had seen the enemy take cover. This havoc created more panic amongst the Death Eaters. One of the clearly less composed ones eventually ran out of cover screaming, firing curses at random hoping to get a lucky shot. This lasted for one second before he was felled by Kingsley's own Killing Curse.

This had been a very basic tactic Alastor Moody had taught them. Blind 'em, smoke them, kill them. Or if applicable, apprehend them.

The two could one of the Death Eater yell "Portkeys! Retreat!" only to hear another one yell back "They're not fucking working!"

With an almost perverse satisfaction at hearing that, Tonks sent out the next wave of siege spells to get them out of cover. Another two fell. Five remained.

Kingsley gave her a sign with his free hand and she immediately understood – it was time to find new cover otherwise they'd be pinpointed by sound. The Death Eaters had responded with blind fire which had yielded no successes for them so far. The two Kingsley had eliminated had been on the same side of the room. Tonks kept firing Blasting Curses which forced two of them to run from their cover to new locations and Kingsely couldn't get a clear shot on either of them.

The Death Eaters had successfully driven themselves into a corner, even if they didn't know it yet. One of them extended a tad too far out of his cover and was instantly hit with a brutal _"Diffindo!" _which had separated his arm from his elbow from his body, causing him to cry and fall over. Tonks made a sign and Kingsley understood – they'd stun that one and leave him alive for interrogation. Kingsley stunned the target and approximated the location of the last four.

This was unnecessary though, as the wall behind the Death Eaters in cover exploded inwards to reveal Albus Dumbledore, Mad-Eye Moody, Bill, Charlie and Arthur Weasly as well as Minerva McGonagall. Albus and Alastor immediately went on the offensive as Arthur and Minerva rushed over to Amelia and her niece. Alastor brutally but efficiently rid the world of two more Death Eater scum, while Bill and Charlie quickly engaged the one Albus wasn't currently in the process of stunning.

And with that, it was over. Tonks let out a sigh and walked out of cover and slid to the floor with her back against one of the still intact stone pillars. She saw Kingsley walk up to her and sat on the floor next to her as well, relief evident in his face as he discarded his outer robe to tend to his few scratches.

"Fuck's sake Kingsley, next time you ask me to go to a meeting with the Director could you please not try and lead me into an all-out battle to the death? I'm too young for this shit!" Tonks exclaimed, leaning her head back against the cool marble as she saw Mad-Eye make his way over to them.

Kingsley let out a booming laugh, "It's how I charm women Tonks, leading them into death traps. That was good work there partner, glad I had you with me tonight and not Dawlish. That was excellent thinking with the chandelier."

Tonks laughed at his humour. "Just how this old festering bag of shit taught me. Blind 'em, smoke 'em-"

"And bag 'em!" Moody yelled when he reached them. "Aye that was good work ye rascals. Thirteen Death Eaters, eleven dead, two captured. How in the world did one of them mess up enough for ye to cut his bloody arm off and stun him?"

"Extended too far outta cover trying to blind fire in the dark. Thought we might as well leave one alive for questioning." Tonks explained.

Moody nodded. "Always remember, CONSTANT VILLIGANCE! Now go and see your boss, I bet she wants to talk to you."

Nodding the two got up and slowly made their way to Amelia who sat on what was left of a table next to her niece. The two of them had gotten away fairly unscathed, Susan only had a sprained ankle and Amelia had a few cuts and bruises, nothing that would faze the battle hardened Director of Magical Law Enforcement.

"Aurors Tonks, Shacklebolt." She greeted, sounding tired. "Not quite the circumstances I had hoped to meet the two of you under tonight."

The two nodded their heads in agreement.

"Excellent work out there, I owe you my niece's and my own life. Trust me, I will not forget that you two have rescued me tonight."

The two smiled and nodded at the praise. "Just doing our jobs, ma'am." Kingsley said.

"Not quite," Amelia said, "you two were invited here for an informal chat, not to guard me and fight off a dozen Death Eaters."

After a pause Amelia let out a sigh and looked at Kingsley specifically. "I know that Tonks is normally not on duty tonight, so maybe you could explain the lack of Aurors that were _meant_ to be guarding my estate at night? Or the lack of back-up – I assume you tried calling for back-up, yes?"

Kingsley nodded uncomfortably. "We called for back-up the moment we arrived here and felt the Anti-App wards go up. Tonks tried to call for Auror reinforcements but nothing came. If it helps, Dawlish and three others called in sick right before the shift started. I contacted Albus Dumbledore and asked him for assistance."

Amelia Bones nodded, well aware of his and Tonks' affiliation with the Supreme Mugwump and his Order of the Phoenix. "While I would have preferred for the actual people responsible for my safety to come and fight off Voldemort's minions I am grateful nonetheless. Neither of you could shed light on why he'd try to have me killed tonight, could you?" She inquired, rubbing her chin, not even noticing her niece listening intently.

"I believe I could offer some insight," a new voice said, causing Tonks and Kingsley to turn around to see Albus Dumbledore approaching, "I hope you are in good health, Amelia."

"I am fine Albus, thanks to these two and your people in the end. Please, do tell me why he's after me now."

Dumbledore sighed and started stroking his beard. "Fudge's days are numbered. He will either be impeached, assassinated or will flee for his life. The political infighters smell blood and now the question is who is to be the next Minister of Magic to lead us in the war against Voldemort. Voldemort will try to manoeuvre one of his puppets into place to take the mantle of Minister. He fears you. You are a prime candidate, being the Head of the DMLE and known for your fairness and iron fist in fighting those that break the law. Voldemort knows that under your rule, the Ministry will very quickly grow militant and be a very significant factor against him and that is something he does not want. With you in charge his Pureblood supporters in our government will lose their power and influence and Voldemort will lose more than just spies in the Ministry that can pull strings for him – he will lose significant funding and access to facilities inside the Ministry."

Those in hearing range nodded thoughtfully at his reasoning. Amelia looked at Albus. "So he will start hunting those in position to make Minister of Magic?"

Dumbledore simply nodded.

"If you could, please visit me sometime later today in my office, I could use your help in investigating how Tonks and Shaklebolt received no back up tonight as well as set up adequate defences for those you claim are in danger. I will now take my niece to a secure location and organise the clean-up of this destruction sometime later. I need to rest, after all I feel like I am going to be doing a lot of yelling later."

Raising his eyebrows as the offer, Dumbledore quickly accepted. This was an excellent opportunity to build bridges with the Head of the DMLE who could prove to be a very powerful ally against Tom.

As Amelia took Susan by her arm and apparated away, Dumbledore turned to his Order members and spoke. "There will be an Order meeting tonight. Tonks, go get that wound looked at and please inform Remus and the children that they don't have to worry about dinner tonight, I am sure that Molly would be more than happy to lend a helping hand," Seeing Arthur nod his head vigorously, Dumbledore smiled, "if the rest of you could inform the other members to arrive at Headquarters at 7pm sharp with empty stomachs, that would be greatly appreciated. Thank you all for helping Tonks and Kingsley. I will see you all tonight."

And with that the group of vigilantes each went their own way.

* * *

Tonks tiredly stumbled out of the Floo in the kitchen at 12 Grimmauld Place. She had apparated to St. Mungos to get patched up before taking the Floo back to Headquarters. With a sigh she pulled out a chair and slumped onto it after taking off her robe and tossing it on the table. Seeing the blood on it she quickly rushed to the sink and threw up.

Opening the tap she rinsed out her mouth and shakily walked over to the cupboard and rummaged through it. Finding what she was looking for, she took her wand from her holster and conjured a simple tumbler filled with ice and poured herself a very stiff Firewhiskey on the rocks. Gulping down half her glass in one go she slammed it back on the table and placed her elbows on the desk as she covered her face with her hands.

Her eyes wandered to the clock hanging from the wall. _'3am and at this rate I won't even sleep at all. Just what I fucking needed.'_

She knew that being an Auror wasn't easy. While killing wasn't part of the day-to-day job that Aurors normally went through, it was definitely not uncommon. She knew though, Moody had told her many times that taking a life changes someone and now she could relate.

Hating on herself would get her nowhere and she'd end up like an emotional wreck like Harry had been on his first night at Headquarters, but still. Everything seemed like a blur now. In a situation like that it had been kill or be killed. She and Kingsley had been at a severe disadvantage and simply disabling the Death Eaters had not been an option.

Adrenalin and instinct had taken over the second they had burst through that door and before she knew it she had exploded two skulls. They didn't even have to react. She knew that according to her training and the Auror handbook that it had been the correct execution and action to take in that situation. _'Kill or be killed, eh? Is that what a war comes down to?' _Tonks asked herself. The kills had been clean, the enemy had no idea what had hit them and had prevented them from doing any more damage and disabling them entirely. _'Yeah no shit that it disabled them, I blew their fucking heads off!'_

She'd never forget the sight of the blood spraying through the air, staining her robes in a fine mist and turning into big smears on her robe from the movement. She'd been glad that her boss had authorized her request to use the Killing Curse. Tonks didn't think she could've handled seeing every one of those Death Eaters get torn apart by Blasting Curses or Severing Charms. Plus the Killing Curse had the advantage of being nigh unstoppable – it had been the perfect spell for the situation.

A soft voice shook Tonks out of her thoughts. Turning her head she saw Remus standing in the kitchen's doorway, his eyes squinting. He looked dead tired – the full moon was approaching after all.

All traces of fatigue disappeared when the smell of blood reached Remus' nose and his eyes spotted the bandage around Tonks' arm as well as the massive smears of blood on her robe. In a few quick strides he was by her side and sat in the chair next to her. Not saying anything he conjured his own tumbler and also poured himself a glass and refilled Tonks'.

"What happened?" The soft spoken werewolf asked. Despite the current tension between them, he still deeply cared for her, loved her even.

It took a few seconds before Tonks threw her arms around Remus and started sobbing into his chest. Shocked at the turn of events, Remus slowly closed his arms around her and held her close to him. After a few moments she calmed down and wanted to pull away but he kept her close to her.

"Let it all out," he whispered, "tell me what happened."

Looking at him with teary eyes, Tonks nodded and started telling the story of how a routine night had ended with her killing three Death Eaters and saving her boss.

* * *

Harry awoke feeling better than he had in a long time. His eyes stayed closed as his senses informed him of his current situation. He felt warm and comfortable. His back was on a soft surface – ah, he was on the couch. Now he remembered. His chest informed him of warm presence lying on top of him, still fast asleep. Cracking one eye open and looking down, Harry could see Hermione's hair cover most of his chest. Her arms were still wrapped around him and his was still around her.

Hermione had pulled the blanket all the way up to her eyes, causing him to smile. She looked absolutely adorable. For once he had not woken up in the middle of a nightmare, for once he didn't wake up with a throbbing headache. He felt light and ready to face the day, whatever it may throw at him. A sense of calmness washed over him and he moved the arm he had around Hermione's shoulders so that he could run his fingers through her hair.

Instead of the wild mane she used to call her hair, she now had fairly tamed, smooth, wavy and slightly curly hair that he had first noticed at the Yule Ball. It felt silky in his hands and was fun to curl around his index finger and then watch as it bounced off his finger back into its original shape. Running his hand through her hair, his fingers eventually reached her scalp. Allowing his fingers to gently slide across it, Harry relished the new sensation, looking up as Hermione seemingly sighed in content.

The girl in question woke up to the most divine sensation. She couldn't remember what she dreamed about at all, but that didn't matter at this moment. Everything around her was soft, warm and comfortable. Hermione could feel Harry's finger run across her scalp and she purred in content. It felt very nice and relaxing. The events from the previous day came back to her and she realized that she was in the drawing room and had spent the night sleeping atop of Harry. This caused her to smile broadly and look up as she cracked open an eye.

"Hey you." She greeted softly, closing her eye again.

"Hey." Was the response she recieved. His fingers did not stop their journey through her hair across her scalp. She pushed herself up his body a bit further, wanting him to apply a bit more pressure onto the top of her head.

Complying Harry gently started massaging her scalp.

"You have no idea how nice this is." She said after a while.

"Your sounds of happiness indicate well enough how much you enjoy my ministrations, Hermione." Harry said factually, causing her to chuckle.

"Well if you say so."

"Mhm, I do."

His hand stopped its exploration along her head and ran along her shoulder down her arm to her waist. He had intended to wrap it around her and just relax for a while before getting up, but froze when his palm came in contact with the valley between Hermione's hips and ribcage. Instead of touching the soft fleece of her sweater that he had expected his hand now lay upon her bare skin. Not knowing what to do Harry slightly stiffened and froze, not daring to move. He had certainly not expected this.

Hermione took in a sharp breath as she felt Harry's warm hand on the skin of the side of her midsection. She felt him tense and freeze, knowing that whatever happened next would be up to her. She hadn't noticed that her jumper actually revealed her entire stomach as it had ridden up all the way to her to the beginning of her breasts while she'd been asleep, probably from moving around a bit. With the blanket it had felt as warm as it did with the jumper.

Slowly moving her hand from Harry's waist she put it over his own and squeezed gently. "It's okay," she whispered, "don't worry." Feeling him relax, she added, "I must've moved a bit during the night and that made my sweater rearrange itself."

Feeling him let out a sigh of relief she could feel his body shake slightly as he nodded. She could feel his hand slowly moving over her bare skin. She removed her hand from his in wonder, placing it on his stomach. Her breath hitched when she felt his hand travel up her side ever so slowly, getting dangerously close to her breast. Wondering what he was going to do she felt his hand slip under the bottom elastic part of her jumper and gently grab it as Harry pulled it downwards and covered her midsection with it again.

Smiling to herself she chided herself. Of course he wouldn't move his hand up her bare skin to just touch her breast, no, Harry was far too shy for that and such a gentleman. Here Hermione realized that if she ever wanted him to do so, she would have to make it clear to him. That was definitely something to ponder later. Feeling him place his hand on her now covered stomach she let her own hand run circles around the part of his stomach that she wasn't occupying.

Lifting her head a bit to look at his face, Hermione whispered, "You are such a gentleman, Harry. I never knew you'd be so sweet."

Looking slightly puzzled Harry looked down at her. "What did I do to earn such a compliment?"

Smiling, Hermione said nothing as she carefully manoeuvred her own hand under Harry's Quidditch jersey, causing him to freeze once more. He let out a shudder at the feeling of Hermione's hand running little circles over his stomach. She paused and spoke, "I'm not wearing a bra under this sweater."

That statement hung between them for a while before she continued. "I will bet you my edition of _Hogwarts: A History_ that any other boy in your position would have at least tried to take advantage of the fact that my sweater had exposed my stomach. You on the contrary, slipped your hand under my sweater coming within less of a finger's width of my breast and simply pulled my sweater down to cover my stomach again. Very, very, classy Mister Potter."

Blushing deeply at her words Harry just nodded, not quite trusting his voice, or body, to respond otherwise. After calming down a bit, Harry asked, "So why is your hand under my shirt now?"

Feeling her smile against his chest again, she replied, "Well you got to touch my skin there, so I touch yours. Equivalent exchange Harry, it's a concept you should get used to around me."

Nodding once more Hermione slowly removed her hand from under his shirt. His skin had been smooth, but his stomach had been firm. She wasn't sure if Quidditch worked the muscles around his stomach in anyway fashion at all, but she rather liked the way it felt.

"What are we doing today?" Harry eventually asked. He felt her shrug. "I guess we'll get changed and see how Remus and Tonks are doing?"

"Sounds good." Hermione replied.

Sighing, Harry said, "I don't want to get up."

Giggling into his chest she replied, "Me neither."

"But we have to."

"Unfortunately."

Eventually Hermione slowly untangled herself from Harry and stood barefooted next to the couch. She tiptoed as she extended her arms over her head and stretched her muscles while letting out a lazy yawn. This caused her sweater to expose the creamy skin of her tummy, causing Harry to remember the way her skin had felt under his hand.

Shaking his head, Harry got up and shouldered the blanket. Hermione took his free hand without even noticing it and opened the door of the Drawing Room. They slowly walked down the corridor to their rooms. Hermione let Harry's hand go and turned to her room. Before she entered she heard Harry say her name with a questioning tone.

"Yes Harry?"

"I was, erm, wondering…" Harry said sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head, "is it, like, uncomfortable to sleep with a bra on?"

Rolling her eyes but laughing nonetheless, Hermione had to admit that he looked rather adorable; genuinely wondering if wearing a bra to sleep would cause her discomfort.

"Yes, quite. I normally either wear something really loose and baggy like this sweater or something snug but comfortable like a T-Shirt or tank top to sleep."

Smiling at her, Harry nodded in understanding and entered his room. Shaking her head in amusement, Hermione opened her bedroom door and entered, shedding her pants and sweater the second the door closed behind her. A nice warm shower would do wonders for her this morning, she felt.

Harry entered his room and waved at Hedwig who hooted at him angrily. Having completely neglected her he found his treats for her and stacked them quite high in her bowl. She glared at him and started eating with dignity. Chuckling he opened her cage and his window and told her to go hunting if she wished. He entered his bathroom and quickly got ready.

* * *

Harry waited for Hermione outside her room and she nodded appreciatively at his appearance. He wore a plain dark green v-cut shirt that was slightly baggy but looked great on him. His legs were covered by midnight blue slim boot cut jeans and his appearance was completed by a pair of fluffy slippers.

She wore light brown skinny jeans. A sweater with fairly wide horizontal stripes in the colours sea blue and grey covered her light grey tank top. The sweater was fairly wide over the area of her breastbone and showed skin all the way to the start of her tank top which barely peeked out under the sweater. She had pushed the sleeves just past her elbow. The sweater was loose around her shoulders and was quite thin, just a bit thicker than her average T-Shirt.

Hermione and Harry entered the kitchen to find Remus cooking scrambled eggs. The lovely smell of bacon, toast and strong coffee flavoured the air. The werewolf seemed chipper enough, humming a lone tune as the prepared breakfast. A look at the clock revealed the time to be almost 10am.

Tonks on the other hand, was entirely different story. The Auror was dressed in a simple white tank top, fluffy pink tracksuit pants and equally pink socks. Someone had transfigured one of the chairs into something a slightly larger and cushioned. A blanket was wrapped around her shoulders and the bags underneath her eyes told volumes.

Looking up at the new arrivals she sent them a sad smile. "Morning you two sleepy heads."

Crossing the room quickly Hermione took a seat next to her while Harry gathered the milk, coffee container, sugar and mugs for himself and Hermione. Knowing exactly how Hermione preferred hers he got to preparing the beverages while Hermione talked to Tonks.

Seeing the concerned look, Tonks answered the question that didn't need asking. "There was an attack last night." She said quietly, causing Harry to look up from his task sharply.

A silence descended upon the four and even Remus stopped with the eggs for a second. Sagging his shoulders a bit he continued, having heard the story already.

"Thirteen Death Eaters went after Director Bones, the Head of the DMLE." Tonks continued.

Piecing things together quickly Hermione asked for clarification, "The same Bones that Shaklebolt mentioned last night? The one you were going to have a meeting with?"

The Auror nodded, her hair still black. "The attack happened right as Kingsley and I arrived. We called for back-up from both the Aurors and the Order. No Aurors came, but Dumbledore arrived towards the end."

Another silence came over them as the two teenagers anxiously waited for Tonks to continue. Harry placed the mug he had prepared for Hermione in front of her and returned to making one for himself.

"All of us survived, including your classmate Susan Bones."

After a few moments Harry asked, "If everyone survived… then what's upsetting you so much?"

Sighing at Harry's forwardness Hermione gave Tonks another sympathetic look before sipping on her coffee.

Tonks gave him a little smile, "Straight to the point as always, Harry." Shaking her head she reached for her own cup and took a sip. "I killed for the first time last night. I always knew I would eventually since not every bad guy can be captured and I never thought it'd be this much of a deal. We had no real option, we were hopelessly outnumbered. I always thought I was prepared enough… but I evidently wasn't. It all happened so fast and with your system full of adrenaline and your magic pouring into you, you don't really notice it. I… I hit two of them with _Reductos_ to the back of the head… and one… and one in the chest with a Killing Curse."

Harry's eyes widened and Hermione tightened the grip on her mug as she tried not to gasp. They both knew that Aurors had been authorised to use Unforgivables in the last war. The fact that Tonks had done the same last night let them realize even more just how close this war was to resulting in all-out battles and how closely involved all of them were.

"I… I asked Madam Bones for permission to use the Curse. It's not easy to use… It requires strong willpower and magic but it's very effective. Cannot be blocked by magical means like other curses and it's easy enough to aim with it since you need to only hit any part of the enemy's body. It's not messy, unlike other spells. It drains quite a bit of your magic but I didn't want to keep blowing up heads. It doesn't require as much emotion behind it as the _Cruciatus_ but you need the will to kill your opponent. If you aren't perfectly sure that you want to kill your opponents then it will not kill. I… I wanted to kill them. I wanted them to no longer pose a threat. My Auror training assessed the situation and my body agreed. I _needed_ to kill the Death Eaters in order to ensure the safety of Madam Bones, Susan, Kingsley and myself. So I did. And now they're dead. We left two alive for questioning." Tonks explained, wrapping her blanket around herself tighter. She had started to accept her actions and cried all her sadness away in the arms of Remus, but she was still fairly distraught.

Hermione moved closer to her and pulled the other woman into a one-armed hug.

"Death… Death changes people," Tonks started again, "I saw Sirius die too, that night at the ministry. But that was different. There was no body, no blood. He was just… gone." She looked up to see Harry hang his head low. "I… I don't know how you do it Harry." Said boy looked up at her, questioning. "You saw death earlier than any of us… Voldemort's host in first year, Cedric in fourth year and Sirius this year… And you're significantly younger than I am."

Harry gave her a sad smile. "I've never had a choice but to accept it. Death always seems to be a companion of mine, showing himself when I least expect him." This time Hermione's pained look went to Harry. "I understand that seeing death is different from dealing death, and I understand that it must be hard on you Tonks, but… as I am sure Moody has said at some point, 'rather them than you.' By killing them you prevent them from killing other innocent people… If it helps, don't see Death Eaters as people. I know that they are, but before they are humans they are criminals. Death Eaters. Tonks, your killing of them doesn't allow them to continue doing as they please. They're terrible human beings. I've seen what they've done, what they do. Voldemort makes a point of showing me whenever my defences are weak or down."

Tonks raised a hand to her mouth in surprise, seeing the haunted look in Harry's eyes. His eyes hardened and narrowed as he met hers and forcefully said, "They're monsters, Tonks. They kidnap innocent muggles. They rape them and revel in their screams. Torturing them to the point where they lose their minds like Neville's parents or leaving them at the brink on insanity where they _beg_ for it to end. He's shown me, Tonks, for the entire year. Killing them with the Killing Curse seems too merciful to me. They should feel the pain they cause so I'm all for using Reductors on them. Your actions helped save people Tonks, don't ever forget that."

Remus had almost dropped the plate he started filling with rashers of bacon and scrambled eggs. None of them had known that Voldemort penetrated Harry's mind when he slept. The remaining Marauder was amazed that Harry was still so kind and compassionate and most of all, sane, given the torture.

Hermione gestured for Harry to come and enveloped him in one of the tightest hugs she had given him. She knew that Harry would eventually talk about the things that plague him, but she certainly hadn't expected this to come out now.

Tonks sat shocked in her chair. _'I complain about having taken three lives but I can't even imagine the things Harry has to go through. He has the toughest path of all of us; I should be glad that I don't have to face the things he has to face.'_

Leaving her chair Tonks put her arms around the pair, drawing them into a three-way hug. It quickly turned into a group hug when Remus joined the mix. They separated and Remus served breakfast.

"Thank you Harry… as horrible it all sounds, it makes me see things from a bigger perspective and makes me feel better." She said sincerely.

Harry nodded and sat next to Hermione. He had refused to let himself cry in the hug, he had done enough of that for a while. _'I will not be weak. I will not let him get to me. If it's the last thing I'll do, I __**will**__ bring you down, Riddle. And I will not let you die easily, no, you will feel the pain you inflicted.'_

They ate breakfast in relative silence. Harry eventually broke it and looked at Remus and Tonks. "Is there anything planned for today?"

Remus shook his head. "I don't think I can do much, my transformation is in two nights. My bones are aching already, sorry. Dumbledore said he'd send some House Elves today to help clean and redecorate. Someone's gotta do some grocery shopping later, maybe you and Hermione can go. Tonks got back around 3am and didn't go sleep before 4, so I don't want her to strain herself too much. There's a muggle supermarket just ten minutes away from here."

Harry and Hermione shared a look before agreeing, not allowing Tonks to protest. Eventually the Auror spoke, "Albus wanted me to inform you all that there'll be an Order meeting at 7 tonight. Molly will be bringing food, so don't cook tonight."

"Are the rest of the Weasleys coming over as well?" Harry asked. He hadn't seen Ron in a while and if he'd been completely honest with himself he didn't really feel the urge to, either. Hermione had been a very adequate companion as well as distractions and he wondered how he'd interact with her if others were around.

Tonks shrugged. "I know at least Arthur, Molly, Bill and Charlie are coming. No idea if they're bringing the rest of the clan."

"Speaking of the Weasleys," Hermione started, "why aren't they staying at Headquarters this summer?" She inquired. A lot of things had been curious about Headquarters since Sirius had died. The Weasleys hadn't been there, the house was accessible despite the owner dying and she hadn't seen or heard Kreacher.

Remus and Tonks shared a look and shrugged. "You're going to have to ask Dumbledore. He informed us to stay here after the events at the Ministry. As always, he's the puppeteer and knows everything." The notion of Dumbledore wearing single finger puppets and directing puppets with strings caused everyone to laugh and lightened the mood considerably.

* * *

Four consecutive pops signalled the arrival of House Elves. Remus had just finished clearing the table and Harry had listened to Harry ask Tonks questions about some Wizarding Laws, being an Auror as well as being a Metamorphmagus.

The four elves stood on the table. The elf in the lead was none other than Dobby. Having expected nothing else from his friend, Harry grinned seeing him wear several hats stacked upon another adorning his head and two thick woollen socks, which were obviously mismatched, covering his feet.

"Dobby!" Harry exclaimed.

"Good Morning Master Harry Potter sir! Dobby is being glads to work for youse!" The elf greeted enthusiastically, sending his hats flying everywhere as nodded vigorously. The elves behind him nodded with equal vigour. They all wore differently coloured tea towels. "This be Winky, Dinky and Blinky! We be here to redecorates the house today and Dobby will stay here all summer so Masters Harry Potter, Misses Hermy, Tonksie and Mister Wolfie are fed!"

Hermione and Tonks had chuckled at the introduction, Dumbledore had obviously picked out the three elves with most similar names to go with Dobby. When Dobby referred to Remus as "Wolfie" all of them, including Remus, had started laughing hysterically. Tonks laughed the hardest, eventually managing to grab her wand and transfigured her blanket into a plush toy in the shape of a wolf wearing a pink tutu.

This had inspired another round of laughter and Remus retaliated by adding her hair to it and T-Shirt saying "I'm with stupid" that pointed an arrow at a poorly drawn stick figure with her name over it.

When Harry and Hermione had gotten up to help the elves with the clean-up of the house they had instantly run into a wall of complaints and disagreement from the elves who were absolutely adamant that they would not lift a finger in this activity.

Using Hermione's advanced diplomacy skills they had settled on the agreement of the elves taking them to every room in the house so they could make specific requests or give instructions regarding some rooms.

They had started right there in the kitchen. Remus requested them to just clean it and make it brighter. Harry added that they should throw out any old and unused equipment and that some of the furniture could use refurbishing. The elves had nodded and told them to move on.

Inquiring how the elves would remember all the instructions, Dobby had looked at her puzzled and said, "Elves never be forgetting anything, Miss Hermy."

Accepting that explanation for now the elves had led them up the stairs. The next stop had been the ground floor, given that the kitchen was located below the ground floor. On the way up Hermione requested for them to rework the stairs and banister so they wouldn't squeak and make them a bit safer given the fact that they were over a hundred years old and had not been under any sort of maintenance forever.

On the ground floor Tonks instantly requested them to remove the troll foot that made up the umbrella stand and replace it with something she was less likely to trip over. This had caused Remus and Harry to laugh pleasantly but the elves had nodded seriously. They were taking their jobs very seriously. The loud laugh had woken the portrait of Sirius' mother, Walburga Black, which had been instantly hit by silencing charms from Tonks and Hermione.

"Dobby, can you four remove that portrait?" The elves had shuffled around uncomfortably and seemed to communicate silently. "Master Harry Potter sir, we is terribly sorry but we cannots remove the portrait. It can only be removed by the owner of the house sir but we is unable to say why. The house's magic is preventing us from saying more, sir."

Harry and Hermione shared a look of surprise. The elves implied that the portrait was keyed into something major or key feature of the house but they couldn't say what. Recognizing the look in Hermione's eyes Harry knew that they'd be investigating that one later. "Can you do something about her sound, though?" Tonks asked as if she'd been asking about a defect car, intentionally objectifying the portrait.

Again the elves communicated through a few looks and blinks. Dobby seemed to be their spokesman. "Yes Miss Tonksie, we can do that. We will make it so the owner has to allow her to speak, otherwise she will remain silent." The four inhabitants of the house nodded in satisfaction – that had been good enough. Harry told them that the carpet and paint on the wall should be replaced with something more adequate and the elves said that it had been a given. They really were quite determined to get this house up to standard.

Remus led them all into the dining room which was covered in dust and cobwebs. Harry said, "If any of you encounter any sort of dark or magical objects be very careful and ask me before deciding what to do with it, okay? I don't know what Dumbledore has told you all or if I can do this, but your safety is priority. If you can in any way interpret this as an order which makes you follow it, please do." By the end he'd almost been pleading with them and Hermione gave him a bright smile and one-armed hug of approval. Once more the elves communicated and Dobby spoke "It will be done, Master Harry Potter sir."

Since they had no real requests for the dining room they told the elves to do as they pleased.

Harry took the lead up the stairs. Before Hermione could even ask Dobby said the stairs were a House Elf's disgrace too here and they would definitely replace them too. Mentioning that Harry remembered Kreacher and met Hermione's eye – he knew she had the same thought. Another thing to ask Dumbledore later.

Hermione informed the elves that they had transfigured most of the furniture and colours on the walls. All she and Harry wanted the elves to do was to make the transfigurations permanent and repair any furniture. Harry also requested they enlarge the beds a bit in both rooms and move them a bit further into the room. For the bathroom Harry told them to just tidy it.

Remus made a special note of asking if they could replace all the lamps in the house with more modern magical equivalents. No problem, was the response.

Since both Harry and Hermione were content to use their own bathrooms they told the elves to make their own decisions regarding the large bathroom at the end of the hall. Entering the Drawing Room, Hermione took command. A few of the requests made Harry smile to himself, knowing she did them with both their intents in mind.

The two teens hung back as Remus and Tonks dictated the changes for the second floor. They all waved to the portrait of Phineas Black who merely nodded. He actually requested a livelier spot for his portrait and a new frame. All four had taken on the bored portrait and agreed on the wall on the way down to the kitchen. The elves were instructed to standardise all unused bedrooms, putting equivalent furniture into all of them and making them more space efficient. There was a large living room on the floor that Harry requested to be modelled after the Gryffindor Common Room. The elves said that was no problem at all. Since no one had any ideas for the balcony, they left that one to the elves as well.

Reaching the third floor, Remus looked somewhat uncomfortable outside his room. Having a hunch for what made him feel that way; Hermione spoke softly, "Remus, do you trust me?"

The man in question looked at her in surprise. Knowing her gentle nature and knowing her as a fellow academically-enthusiastic person as well as a very capable fighter, he remembered her and Harry's action in third year and nodded. "Of course Hermione, you're a good friend of mine. I'd trust you to have my back in any fight… or to brew my monthly potion."

Nodding, Hermione knew that was about the highest praise she could get from a warrior like Remus and she felt touched at his trust in her to brew his Wolfbane potion. Maybe he knew about her exploits in second year where she brew Polyjuice in a girls' bathroom. Motioning for everyone to stay outside, she took Dobby by his hand and entered Remus' room, quickly closing the door behind her.

She and Dobby exited the room a minute later. Both seemed indifferent but Harry could see in Hermione's eyes that she'd seen something she wanted to discuss with him as she turned to him. Quickly nodding his understanding he followed as they crossed the hall to Tonks' room.

Tonks didn't mind them entering her room. It was less chaotic than Harry had anticipated and he tried to overlook her carelessly thrown around underwear. Seeing Remus faint blush at the sight of her unmentionables she grinned in satisfaction – something it was good to be messy. Decided she hadn't teased Harry in forever, longer than twelve hours at least, she commented on his blush and determination to not stare at anything.

"Aww Harry baby, don't be embarrassed! It's just my underwear! Here, wanna try one on?" Tonks said jovially as she picked a lacy red bra off the back of the chair at the desk and handed it to Harry who just grew as red as the bra and shot her an annoyed look. "Oh you, don't look at me like that. I'm sure you've seen Hermione wear one of these, haven't ya ye little charmer?" Noticing the mirth in Hermione's eyes she turned to her and winked. "He has, hasn't he? Seduced him in that changing booth didn't you?"

Deciding to play along with her little tease Hermione nodded, much to Harry's horror. "Oh yes, it was wonderful. Harry has some delightfully dexterous hands that are very adept at taking them off, you know?"

Harry stared at her wide-eyed with the urge to yell "Traitor!" Turning to Remus with a look begging for help as the two girls giggled in unison at his discomfort. All he got from Remus was a pat from the back and him saying in his most solemn voice, "I request a moment of silence for my fallen Brother in Arms." Naturally this caused another wave of laughter. Taking it all in good spirit Harry reminded Tonks, calling her Nymphadora, to tell the elves what she wanted changed so they could move on.

The quartet moved through the rest of the third floor quickly, not having many requests for the other rooms. The third floor only had Remus' and Tonks' room as well as one storage room next to Remus' room and one small sitting room at the end. Tonks requested the sitting room to be a miniature version of the Hufflepuff Common Room with those beanbags she always loved and a super soft sofa.

The fourth floor had three rooms. Remus solemnly told Harry that these were the rooms of Sirius and his brother, Regulus, and that it would be his decision to make what would happen to them. Harry thought for a while and felt Hermione intertwine her hand with his. Making a decision he looked at the elves.

"Please only tidy these rooms a bit but leave them unchanged. I will… I will visit them later. If I do want anything changed, I will let you know."

The elves nodded in understanding. Remus also gently patted Harry on the back. He approved of the decision – leaving them the way they were in memory of Sirius seemed like a right thing to do. None of them had been on this floor since moving in here so they didn't really know what to expect when they approached the large door at the end of the corridor. "I think this is where Sirius' mother resided." Tonks said.

As Harry opened the door, they were all greeted with a sight they had _definitely_ not expected. First, the room was fairly messy.

What no one had ever seen coming was that the middle of the room was occupied by a very tall Hippogriff that seemed oddly familiar to Harry and Hermione.

* * *

"Buckbeak!" Harry exclaimed in shock. Buckbeak crooned in greeting and Harry instinctively bowed. Everyone behind him quickly followed when they saw the beast stand in the room proudly as if he owned it. Beaky returned the greeting and Harry stood straight again.

The familiar Hippogriff had definitely grown since Harry's third year. He had towered over Harry in second year by at least three heads and now that Harry had significantly grown, Beaky was still at least one head taller when standing normally.

Harry crossed the room gently stroked the Hippogriff's head. Hermione stood on the other side of the magical creature and stroked the feathers of his neck. Buckbeak clearly enjoyed the attention and leaned into their touches.

Tonks and Remus were completely dumbfounded and didn't know what to say. They too approached the creature. Beaky had obviously remembered Harry and Hermione and seemed to recognize Remus too. Harry took a step away and Remus slowly approached, hoping he didn't hold a grudge for their tussle when he transformed. The Hippogriff's eyes seemed to appraise him and evaluate him before licking Remus hand in acceptance. The adult let out a sigh of relief and playfully ruffled the beast's feathers.

He went around the room, wondering how Beaky had lived and survived here for two years. "It seems Sirius took apart his mother's bed to build a bed for Beaky here… manually, that is." Remus said, pointing at the contraption standing in the corner of the room as well as the box of tools on top of a shelf in the back. The room was easily the biggest bedroom in the house and seemed to have access to a balcony as well.

Harry nodded. "He must've been lonely when he came here… so he probably did this to occupy himself and ensure that Beaky had a place to stay. If he had transfigured the bed it would've eventually turned back." He explained with a sad undertone in his voice. Everyone nodded at the explanation. Hearing Sirius name, Buckbeak looked up and crooned softly. He nudged Harry's cheek and trotted across the room to a small bedside table that Sirius had pushed to the wall.

Beaky tapped a picture on the bedside table gently and Harry saw it was a portrait of a younger Sirius who was grinning at the camera before trying look stern after being reprimanded by someone outside the frame.

The hippogriff locked eyes with Harry and crooned again. He seemed sad and questioning. Hermione saw Harry become visibly upset as his shoulders shook slightly as he turned his back on his human companions and slowly hugged the creature around its neck, silently sobbing.

Beaky didn't know about Sirius and they would never know if the intelligent bird truly understood, but it seemed he could sense Harry's sadness and understand the tears that wet the feathers at his neck as Harry hugged the magical creature tightly. Trying to reciprocate the gesture, Beaky flapped helplessly with his wing for a second but seemed to give it up as a lost cause. Settling on rubbing the round side of his beak against Harry's back to comfort his saviour he closed his eyes, now knowing that Sirius hadn't returned and wouldn't ever do so.

The others stood back respectfully, the elves were decidedly sad. Being a lot more attuned to magic they knew what the creature was feeling as it radiated emotion.

After a few moments Harry composed himself and wiped his tears with the back of his hand. "I'm sorry Beaky, he was your friend too." The mentioned creature licked his cheek and nudged his shoulder forcing Harry to turn around. He saw his friends give him soft smiles and he nodded his appreciation.

Hermione approached him and this time pulled him into a soft hug. She took his hand as they separated and followed Remus around the room.

Remus moved through the room trying to figure out how Sirius had managed to keep Buckbeak alive. No one had known he was still up here, everyone had assumed he had set the Hippogriff free. Eventually he spotted a large metal bowl on the floor as well as a bucket. Kneeling in front of it he pulled out his wand and cast a few spells.

A smile graced his face as he understood how the two items worked. _'You were truly the craftiest of all of us, old friend.'_

"Sirius enchanted these two items," he started and he knew Hermione would look surprised at the declaration, "the bucket here fills itself with perfectly cooled water every six hours. The metal bowl does the same but with food. The bowl seems to alternate between beef, pork and chicken. Instead of using charms, Sirius used a more permanent solution. The water is drawn from an actual source of water and merely transported into the bucket if you will, and the same goes for the food. I have no idea where Sirius has this bowl summon the fresh meat from every day." Remus explained, as he turned to Tonks who stood at the balcony looking at it in wonder.

It was one of the Elves who spoke up, Harry thought it was Blinky or Dinky. In a squeaky voice he proclaimed, "The Black family be owning many business Master, Blinky knows one be a big farm that transports to a butcher in Diagon Alley."

"Well there you go," Remus said, "That's how he covered that problem. Now you old dog, how did you let Beaky here get some fresh air…"

Seeing Tonks and Remus examine the two large balcony doors, Beaky crooned and approached it. They all started in surprise as Beaky poked his beak into a little hole above the knob that humans used to open the door. After a moment both doors opened outward, allowing Beaky to step outside comfortably. The beast crooned again and seemed to nod towards the ground with his head. Remus observed closely – there were two shapes cut out in the floor of the balcony. Realizing they were shaped to be the rough outlines of Buckbeak's talons, he observed as the Hippogriff stepped into them.

After another moment everyone watched in fascination as the entire stone façade of the balcony transformed to form a gap which quickly widened so that Beaky could easily run through it. The displaced stones formed a ramp with a moderate incline.

"Genius… absolutely genius, Padfoot." Moony whispered in amazement.

Hermione did the explaining this time. "I assume he enchanted the hole in the door to respond to either Beaky's beak, touch in general or magical signature." Remus nodded in agreement.

"Probably just touch in general; there was no real need for anything else."

"Right. He carved out the shape of Beaky's talons on those two tiles so that Beaky knew where to stand to activate the ramp. Either the tiles are enchanted to respond to Beaky's weight or his magical signature, otherwise any random bird taking a stroll on the balcony would trigger the transfiguration." She continued, chewing on her bottom lip in thought.

Remus nodded as he walked around the balcony. "There's one more thing that isn't obvious, that makes this enchantment truly genius." With a slight slap on the rear Buckbeak pushed off and flapped his wings, starting a lazy circle around the neighbourhood. A few moments after he took off the humans and elves observed the Hippogriff shimmering and quickly fading away, only a very faint ripple around his outline giving away his position.

"A time delayed Disillusionment Charm." Tonks said, awed. "Makes him nigh invisible at night and very hard to spot during the day especially if he sticks to woods if he hunts for animals or just wants to fly."

They all stood there, squinting against the bright London sky to make out Buckbeak's outline. After a few minutes they could see him approach and land. The charm slowly faded as he landed.

"And the charm is dispelled by a simple ward placed over the entire balcony, look here." Remus said as he looked at the balcony doors' frame where six runes had been carved in on each side.

Harry spoke to the elves as he stroked his friend's feathers, "This is Beaky's room and will stay that way until Beaky here decides otherwise. Please make it a bit more habitable by removing some of the unused furniture and cleaning it. Leave the bedside table."

They nodded in agreement. "We will now purchase some materials Master Harry Potter sir, we will be back very soon to start work. We will asks you if we find any magical or dangerous items."

And with that the four elves popped away.

* * *

The elves worked efficiently and extremely swiftly. They had told the humans to feel free to stay wherever they wanted while they worked and the four chose the kitchen for the time, putting on a kettle of tea.

It seemed that the House Elves had deposited whatever materials they had purchased somewhere and could summon anything they needed with a click of their fingers. If they couldn't recycle any of the furniture for whatever reason they would simply summon a few planks of wood, flick their wrists and twirl their fingers here and there and it would cut and organise itself into a new shelf, drawer, chair or anything else they wanted to make.

Harry and Hermione were awed as the kitchen transformed in front of their very eyes as they sipped their tea. Before they knew it they sat on different chairs without having to get up and the table had been fixed, slightly elevated to match the new chairs, sanded and polished. The wooden kitchen counter had been ripped out and completely surprised Harry and Hermione when a muggle metal sink was brought and built in instead. Before they could comment they witnessed Blinky empty the magical cooling box and bring in a large muggle refrigerator in place of one of the unstocked shelves.

"Dobby?" Hermione softly asked as she watched Blinky cast some sort of spells onto the fridge.

"Yes Miss Hermy?" Dobby asked as he finished with the sink and tested it by opening the tap and putting a finger into the running water.

"Why are you elves using muggle equipment? That's absolutely brilliant but I thought electricity wouldn't work around so much magic?"

Dobby nodded. "That is correct Miss Hermy. We uses muggle things like this sink and cool box because they is better than magical ones. Muggle cooling box uses muggle magic to keep the freezing inside and doesn't leak it anywhere. For the sinks we don't connects it to a muggle water line like in a muggle house, but to magical charms that act the same but never run out or cost any monies. For the cooling box we replace muggle magic with our own to keep it cold and allows you to change the coldness of it too."

Hermione looked very surprise at the explanation. Neither Remus nor Tonks had any idea the elves could do that. They watched on as Blinky took part of the discarded storage shelf and transfigured it into a cover for the aluminium lid of the fridge, fitting it perfectly. The fridge now perfectly fit in with the rest of the furniture, not standing out in any way. To an observer it just looked like a closed cupboard.

Noticing that Dobby was filling the fridge with what had been left in the magical equivalent Harry remembered that he and Hermione were supposed to go shopping. Telling Remus, he quickly conjured some paper and a pen and started scribbling down a shopping list of things he felt they needed. Tonks took the list from him and added her own things, winking at Hermione when she added a few things that Harry couldn't read from afar.

"Stay safe, keep your wands close. This place has the best protection in Britain and is unplottable so I highly doubt you'll have a random encounter with Death Eaters, especially since Voldemort lost his best men to you at the Ministry and another thirteen of them last night. I bet he's furious but won't dare to make another hasty move. It would be foolish for him to diminish his forces even more."

Hermione asked for directions and Remus conjured another piece of paper. Taking the pen he outlined a very basic map. "Basically you leave the house, cross the road, follow through the park and then just go down the main road until you see the supermarket. You can't miss it, it's really quite big."

Walking to the entrance of the kitchen, the two teens noticed the new stairs being completed and looking great. Not a sound was heard as they stepped onto the first step. Overlooking the kitchen from there they noticed the elves finishing with the walls and changing some colours. With the new fixed furniture, remade table, chairs, removal of some shelves and space consuming pieces, the new kitchen looked far more spacious and inviting.

Smiling at each other they raced up the two flights of stairs to get their shoes. Since it was summer and quite warm out they felt no need for jackets or jumpers and left the house the way they were. Harry now wore comfortable matte leather loafers which were a blue-ish grey colour. Hermione put on flats and they left the house. Harry chuckled at the fashion lesson he'd been given by the three females on his shopping trip. Tonks had indicated that if she ever caught him wearing jeans and trainers again she'd castrate him. He'd been taught to always wear clothes of similar colour tone and only to wear clashing colours when either Hermione or Tonks approved or wanting to go for a novelty look.

Hermione wore far more sophisticated clothing than she had in the summers previous. Not quite dressy but she looked comfortable while still looking great. Closing the door behind them they crossed the road and smiled at the feeling of the warm sun on their faces.

The park was quite lovely. Harry had never seen it without being covered in snow, last summer he hadn't paid any attention to it. The distance to cross it was probably just under a kilometre so he set a comfortable pace. They were in absolutely no hurry, with the elves working at the house and neither Remus nor Tonks being able to do much. Well Tonks seemed a lot better than she'd been at breakfast, but they'd rather be safe than sorry.

Giving her a boyish grin Harry held out his hand. "Milady." He said formally and formed a triangle with his hand and elbow.

Hermione smiled at him, half amused, half mock-flattered. Hooking her arm through his, they continued walking taking in the nature around them.

"I wonder if Beaky ever just jumps down from the balcony and comes here." Harry wondered out loud.

"I wouldn't surprise me if he did," Hermione said as she nodded towards a small pond off to the side, "that pond there looks perfect for him to clean himself and have a bath."

Harry nodded in agreement. A thought occurred to him. "Maybe I should like, ask him. He seems very intelligent."

She nodded thoughtfully. "He seemed to be able to understand us. I wonder if Hippogriffs are capable of sensing emotion or maybe intent. Either way, that earlier was absolutely fascinating."

After a pause he quietly said. "I want to ask Remus more about the Marauders later. Either after the meeting tonight or when he's recovered from his transformation."

"Mhm." Hermione made a sound of agreement. "I am sure he can tell you a lot about them. He probably has many amazing stories about pranks they came up with and failed and landed in detention."

Harry chuckled, trying to imagine a younger Remus and Sirius being reprimanded by a stern McGonagall with an amused Headmaster in the background.

"Would you like to come with me when I ask him?" He asked quietly as they reached the halfway mark of the park.

Hermione turned her head and looked at him, noticing their clear height difference for the first time in a while. Harry was now maybe half a head taller than her.

"If you want me to. I mean talking to him about your… parents must be very emotional for both of you and those stories may be personal and private and I wouldn't want to intrude or anything…" She said, trailing off at the end.

Harry nodded. "Please come. I'd feel more comfortable having you there if things do get… a bit emotional. I'm sure he and I would both get tired of hugging each other all the time." Harry said in a joking tone, making her chuckle at the image of them.

Reaching the end of the park Harry pulled out the map from his back pocket and studied it for a moment before turning to the left and leading her down the road Remus had mentioned. It wasn't very busy at the moment, peak hour had passed and now only a few cars drove down the road. Harry could already see the big sign of the place Remus had said was the supermarket.

"Hermione, about earlier when you got out of Remus' room…" Harry started. Knowing full well what he meant she said looked at him before speaking.

"We're taking Remus shopping the moment he recovers from his transformation." She declared simply.

"Same situation as me?" Harry inquired.

She shook her head. "Not quite as bad."

Harry nodded and that was that. Hermione had set her mind to it and they would do it. It was as simple as that.

As they walked down the street, they looked like a young, classy couple. No one would've ever guessed that the slim, good looking adolescent with defined arms, messy hair and piercing green eyes hidden behind round glasses and the beautiful young lady in very complimenting jeans and loose sweater were actually two wizards standing at the front doors of a war. Nor would've anyone guessed that they were actually rather geeky, clumsy a tad awkward from time to time, which is exactly why they fit together perfectly.

They reached the supermarket and Hermione pulled out put a coin to insert into the shopping trolley. Letting Harry do the steering she laughed at the sounds he made as he pushed the cart around, imitating a racing car.

'_He's such a child sometimes,' _She thought to herself as they entered the first aisle, _'but he has every right to be. He hasn't had a childhood. Mine wasn't all that rosy either but I didn't grow up in the way he has. I don't have a Dark Lord after me. If things like this make him happy I'll take him out more. Seeing him happy is very rewarding.'_

They took their time progressing through the supermarket. While Harry had the map she had taken the shopping list. Tonks had the sense to magically arrange everything on the list by category, ranging from vegetables to frozen food to cosmetics.

Starting at vegetables they worked their way along the massive supermarket. Their cart was filling up nicely with all sorts of things. They both decided that they could use some muggle treats and drinks at Headquarters so boxes of Coke cans were added to popcorn, chips and other sweets. They also picked up a some frozen dishes like pizza and fries for whenever they felt particularly muggle or too lazy to prepare anything.

Picking up raw meats as they progressed through the isles they eventually reached the cosmetic and hygiene section towards the end. This was the last section and Harry was pushing around a cart filled to brim with all sorts of things. Noting that Tonks seemed to prefer some muggle ways over dealing with some of the female hygiene needs, Hermione started at the toothpaste.

"You need toothpaste too, Harry?"

"Yeah, grab one for me too please."

She added nail polish and specific colours of nail varnish that Tonks had added to the list. Walking past male the male grooming section she stopped. "We should get you some stuff too."

"Hmm?" Harry looked at her in wonder.

"Don't worry, I'll pick out stuff for you. Just follow me like a good puppy." She teased him with her best voice that Harry recalled his Aunt Marge using with that horrendous dog of hers.

First thing she grabbed for him was spray-on deodorant. Adding two cans to the trolley she continued. _'Hmm…'_

Turning around she walked up to him and placed her hand on his cheek. She ran it down his cheek along his jaw line and up his chin. "Nope, don't need a razor yet." She declared and Harry laughed.

Arriving at the hair products she assessed his hair critically. _'I like his hair the way it is but something to spice it up and give it that little extra would be useful sometimes…'_ So Hermione grabbed a sort of wax putty that didn't have a strong hold and only a little bit of shine. _'This should be perfect.'_

Going back to the list she crossed off items she had just added as she kept walking with Harry behind her until she got to the items.

Seeing the last item she stopped abruptly and Harry had to use his entire force to stop the cart from running straight into her heels.

"Hermione?" He asked.

She turned to him, beetroot in her face. "I'm gonna kill Tonks…" she mumbled as she looked to her right and picked the first item – Tonks had scribbled three items right next to each other. She tossed a pack of tampons onto the already large pile in the trolley and shook her head.

Absolutely confused, Harry pushed the cart with one arm while grabbing the box Hermione had thrown onto the cart to examine it. The box had a smiling lady on it, holding some sort of white, round, cotton-looking contraption.

"Err Hermione?"

"Hrm?"

"What are these exactly?"

"What?" She mumbled, not really paying attention.

"These things. What do they do?"

"Huh?" Hermione didn't stop, heading towards the next item that would be equally embarrassing if Harry asked questions.

Sighing, Harry said, "These tampon things that you just got. What's their purpose? Do you clean stuff with them or so?"

Hearing the word "tampon" in Harry's voice Hermione stopped and finally paid attention, turning around to see Harry closely examining the box containing the tampons with a frown. She realized he'd been asking questions about their purpose.

Blushing again Hermione almost stuttered. "They're, umm, used for, err, female hygiene. You put them, you know, in, err… They do clean things, I guess, if you wanted to explain in that way…"

Seeing his absolutely clueless face she let out a small laugh and sighed. "I'll explain later, okay? Just put them in the cart or people will really start looking at you funny."

"Oh don't worry about that, I'm used to people looking at me funny." Harry joked, placing the tampon pack back in the cart. His attention transferred onto the next object Hermione placed in though, and he couldn't resist but to pick it up and look at it too.

This time the woman was holding something else, they looked like a rectangular piece of cloth with round edges. "Pads with wings" it said in some fancy writing atop a cloud. "What about these Hermione? Do they clean things too? And what do they need wings for?" Harry said in the same tone he had asked about the tampons.

Wondering how much Harry knew about female anatomy and how embarrassing it'd be to explain their functions Hermione sighed and told him to put them down as well. Shrugging Harry did as requested.

"Now, I'm not entirely sure how serious Tonks is about these…" Hermione started and then mumbled to herself more than to Harry, "or who exactly she'd use them with."

These ones he recognized. Sighing Hermione threw the box of condoms to the other items Tonks had asked for and blushed intensely when she saw Harry look at her, then at the box of condoms, and then back at her, with wide eyes and slightly ajar mouth.

"Err…"

"Oh so you know what _those_ are?" She asked sarcastically.

Nodding quickly he let out a quick "Yes."

"I'm sure that Tonks added those to the list _just_ so she could create a moment like this between us."

Laughing it off, Harry pushed the trolley towards the cashier and grabbed her hand. "Yeah, she definitely did. Come on, let's go, we have revenge to plan."

Two hundred quid lighter, Harry pushed the trolley to the parking lot where they waited around a corner until there was no one in sight before stuffing them all into an ever-expanding bag that Remus had given them.

Shouldering the bag, Harry returned the shopping cart before offering his arm to Hermione again who gladly accepted.

Taking note of all the closed restaurants near the supermarket, Harry pointed them out. Hermione said that this street would be pretty populated at night and on weekends with that many restaurants.

"Maybe we can go to one? How about for your birthday?" Hermione suggested as they walked through the park, her arm still looped through his.

Nodding thoughtfully, Harry said, "Maybe. I normally don't get to decide what happens on my birthday, so maybe this time will be different."

* * *

The pair eventually arrived back at home. Opening the door they could already see a difference – half the hallway had been reworked already. The elves were making fast work of the house. The painting of Sirius' mother started screaming the second she saw them enter but didn't make a sound much to their pleasure. The elves had kept true to their word and not a sound was heard.

Moving down to the kitchen they saw Remus sit there on his own, reading a book. Closing the book as he saw them he smiled and helped them stock the fridge.

"I ordered some more Butterbeers while you were gone, we were starting to run low." He said as he hauled one box of Coke cans to the same shelf they kept the Butterbeers under.

"How do you order Butterbeers?" Hermione inquired, placing eggs into the designated part of the fridge.

"There are several ways but I normally get them through owling Tom at the Leaky Cauldon. Tom gets them from the suppliers in bulk and sells them for a great price – I get discount since he's known me forever." Remus explained with a smile. "Tonks'll pick 'em up later since no one can really deliver here."

Hermione nodded in understanding and kept stocking the fridge. She eventually got to the last bag and smiled. She closed the fridge and placed the last plastic bag on the table as Remus sat down. She tossed the cans of deodorant to Harry and told him to put them in his room and that she'd explain what to do with the hair product later.

"Remus? Can you do me a favour?" She asked innocently.

"Sure, what is it?" He answered naïvely.

Getting to the best part, she slowly placed the box of tampons down right in front of him. He looked at them and grew silent. Adding the pack of pads she slowly retrieved the box of condoms and placed them on top of the two other items. Oh Remus definitely knew what each of them was for, she knew. He was still silent and stared wide-eyed.

"Could you _please_ bring these to Tonks' room with my regards?" Hermione added sweetly.

"Do I have to?" He asked in a small voice, almost frightened.

"Yes, you already agreed. No one is safe from Tonks' goal of teasing us all into sexual frustration, now up you go you big bad wolf, you've a delivery to make."

"Can't Harry take them?" He tried pleading one last time.

"Harry doesn't even know what two of three of those items are meant for, now go." Hermione commanded. Remus let his head hang low and gingerly gathered the packages before trotting up the stairs with a sigh.

Tonks opened her door to find Remus stand there looking mightily embarrassed, holding a box of tampons, a pack of liners and a value deal of condoms. _'Well played Granger, but an Auror learns to adapt. I can work with this easily.'_

"Well it looks like the big bad wolf has picked up the scent of blood." Tonks greeted, causing Remus to cringe.

Playfully grabbing his collar of his shirt she pulled him into her room and kicked the door behind him shut. "The eleves'll take a while before they get to this floor…" was all that could be heard before the door closed.

Back in the kitchen Harry sat next to Hermione, asking, "Are you gonna explain what those tampon and liner things do?"

Giggling Hermione said, "Not now Harry. Later when the elves are done. After the meeting okay? It'll take a while and from what I gather is going to be a _very _embarrassing conversation for both of us that you'll wish you'd never had."

"Fine. How about we check on the progress the elves are making and then see how Buckbeak is doing up there? We've got nothing better to do until lunch."

Hermione agreed and the two made their way up the stairs.

* * *

Lunch had been an interesting affair. Tonks had shown up with a massive grin and Remus had looked somewhat sheepish. Since no one felt like cooking they ended up heating up some of the Pizzas Harry and Hermione had brought. Pizza and coke always worked.

Tonks had retaliated to Hermione's previous move by asking Harry questions about Hermione's bra size, panty type and colour preferences and whether he was wearing the black boxers she'd picked out for him at the department store, causing Remus to choke on his coke in laughter and both Harry and Hermione looking successfully teased.

Remus and Tonks wandered off "to their rooms" they said after lunch. They had their lunch pretty late given that they didn't have breakfast until 11am and it was getting closer to 5pm. Hermione had told Harry to take her to his bathroom so she could show him what to do with the hair product she'd picked for him.

Entering his room, Harry took in the changes. It looked brand new. His bed had increased in size and had been repositioned as requested. His bathroom had undergone the most significant change, actually. His bathroom now had only a shower, a very muggle-like shower and was actually quite modern. Hermione followed him and looked around too, knowing her own bathroom would look like this. The floor consisted entirely of shiny black tiles now, adding a very sleek touch. The bathtub had been replaced by a modern muggle shower which took up most of the room. Dobby popped in out of nowhere.

"Master Mister Harry Potter sirs and Hermy Granger Miss! Since youse were out Dobby couldn't ask so Dobby just does. Dobby built bathrooms so that you can make everything wet and it will dry very quickly! The showers work like muggles ones. Dobby has replaced the baths with a big one down the hall!"

Without really waiting for a reply, Dobby led them to the large bathroom on their floor, past the Drawing Room which Hermione was really eager to see. He hadn't exaggerated when he said there was a large bathtub in the bathroom. It was gigantic and could easily hold 8 people. It really reminded Harry of a cross between a muggle Jacuzzi and the prefect bath at Hogwarts. Saying they loved it, Dobby flapped his ears as he nodded and disappeared.

They decided to have a quick look at the new Drawing Room before returning to Harry's room. Hermione loved it the second she entered. The fireplace had been expanded, the couches replaced with larger ones and one of the walls had been lined with shelves that was partially filled with books that the elves must've stumbled upon in various places of the house. Fighting the urge to run up to them and have a look, she sat down on the couch and smiled broadly at Harry.

"I feel like this couch will suit our needs _just _fine, Mister Potter." She said suggestively, leaning into the soft cushions. It was now big enough that the two could lie side by side if they lay close enough.

If someone had told Harry that Hermione could be this playful and forward in private he would've laughed and called them crazy. Now he found himself smiling and held his hand out to her as she got up and led her back to his bathroom.

Moments later Harry found himself sitting on the edge of his new bed. Hermione was behind him, on his bed on her knees and running her hand through his hair with a bit of the substance she had purchased for him rubbed between her fingers. After ruffling his hair and then flattening it a bit here and with a few strokes she finished, only taking a very few moments to model his hair to her liking. Conjuring a large mirror she showed Harry who instantly took a liking to it.

"Now remember, don't over-do it. Less is more, okay?"

Seeing his nod, she said, "Also wash your hair before you sleep when you use it otherwise you'll make your pillow sticky. Should any part of _me_ be that pillow, I will not tolerate you making it sticky with your wax." She continued.

As they both realized the possible double meaning over her words she made her way to his bathroom to wash her hands in his sink.

"Geez, all we seem to do today is blush and be embarrassed." Harry commented and she agreed.

"We can always blame Tonks." Hermione said with mirth in her eyes.

Harry and Hermione lounged around Harry's room talking about inconsequential things as the clock hit 6:30pm. A pop announced the arrival of Dobby who looked like he'd gone swimming in the cobwebs of the Forbidden Forest.

Dobby presented them with an item – a locket with and decorative "S" along its outside. He levitated it between his hands and the second Harry saw it, his scar started pounding. He could feel it longing. His scar was longing to touch the object. Seeing Harry's discomfort she placed a hand on his knee and asked Dobby what it was.

"Dark Magic, miss, very powerful Dark Magic. Dobby has only once come across such sinister magic, Miss Grangy, at Dobby's old master's home."

"Can you seal it something that will prevent it from leaking magic, Dobby? It's causing Harry pain."

Nodding quickly Dobby snapped his fingers and a smooth black box appeared, about the size of Hermione's fist. He placed the locket inside and closed the lid on the box and Harry instantly felt lighter again and relief poured through him.

"Could you hide it somewhere Dobby? Somewhere in this house where no one can find it but you? We need to show this to Dumbledore later so please bring it when I call you later, okay?" Harry asked of the elf who confirmed his orders and disappeared.

"What happened Harry?" Hermione asked. She gently pushed him back on his bed and placed his head in her lap, placing a hand on his forehead.

Her touch felt cool to Harry's slowly cooling forehead and he let out a sigh of relief. "My scar… it started hurting. It almost felt as if it was calling out to the locket, as if it wanted me to touch it. It's definitely connected to Voldemort somehow and I don't want to take any chances, not until we can see Dumbledore."

Hermione nodded. "Do you want to get a drink in the kitchen? The elves are probably working on the third and fourth floor now. We can relax a little downstairs before the Order members start rolling in."

* * *

Down in the kitchen Harry summoned two bottles of Butterbeer as he sat down at the head chair of the table with Hermione taking the seat next to his right. They knocked bottles together for a moment and took long pulls from their bottles. They started discussing their Defense Against the Dark Arts exam for a bit before the fireplace turned green and Dumbledore himself stepped out.

Hermione checked the watch – he was 15 minutes early.

"Ah, Good evening Miss Granger and Mister Potter. I must say, the elves have done remarkable things to this kitchen, it looks quite excellent. Have you two settled in yet?" Albus greeted with a twinkle in his eye as he sat down to Harry's left and helped himself to a Butterbeer as well.

"Yes sir, we've been making ourselves comfortable." Harry answered and Hermione smiled to herself at the double meaning that only she would understand.

Dumbledore smiled. "Excellent, most excellent indeed. I hope Miss Granger hasn't been forcing you to do any sort of productive activity such as study, or has she?" He asked jovially.

Harry laughed and shook his head. "No sir, not at all. Hermione has been exactly who I need around me and we've done things that were a lot more fun than productive. She's and Tonks took me shopping to get some new clothes. We went to Gringotts as well and made some discoveries."

Hearing those words, the Headmaster nodded. "Glad to hear it, I knew bringing Miss Granger here would be profitable. Perhaps we can discuss your trip to Gringotts after this? I can imagine that to have been an interesting experience."

Harry and Hermione nodded their agreement. "Sure, there are quite a few things Hermione and I would like to ask you as well."

"I am sure there are," he replied with his eyes shining brightly, "I assume that you know of the events of last night through Miss Tonks?"

Seeing their solemn nod, he continued. "Very well, there won't be any surprises for you tonight then. I wish for the two of you to sit in on the meeting if that is agreeable with you."

This statement took the two by surprise. "I thought we were too young?" Hermione said.

"Age is but a number. You two are very mature for your age." Dumbledore said as if he was discussing the weather with them.

"What about Ron? Will he come tonight?"

"I believe so Mister Potter," Dumbledore said as he twirled his bottle of Butterbeer in his hands, "however I cannot let him sit in on the meeting." Seeing Hermione's and Harry's neutral expression, he continued, "For one I believe Molly would not allow him and given that he is still a minor and she is legally responsible for him. The more important factor however is that I believe that Mister Weasley has not quite progressed as far as you two have in terms of maturity and readiness to accept the responsibilities of adults in this war. This is quite understandable, really."

Mulling over his words, Harry and Hermione had to agree. Hermione had been thrust into an unfamiliar world from the second she got on the Hogwarts Express, same for Harry. Harry had the additional burden of the prophecy and being targeted by Voldemort. Hermione grew up as quickly as he did, always at his side to help him through his burdens.

Before they could form a response the clock struck 7 and Molly Weasley stepped through the fireplace. Seeing Dumbledore, Harry and Hermione she quickly rushed over and placed an enormous picnic basket on the table before engulfing Harry and Hermione in hugs.

"Oh Harry, it's so good to see you! How are you, have you been eating well? And look at you Hermione, you look wonderful!" She exclaimed in her typical fashion.

Harry gave his standard reply of being well and eating well enough which she would ignore anyway before she'd start force feeding him with all sorts of food. Dumbledore looked merely amused at the spectacle.

"Ron and the others will be through shortly, they just had to lock the house up." Molly explained as she tapped the basket she had brought.

Harry and Hermione looked in amazement as the basket unpacked itself and loaded the table with food. To be fair, they had expected nothing less of Molly.

Remus and Tonks entered the kitchen together. They greeted Dumbledore who greeted them back he waved his wand at the shelf he had spotted the plates in and they arranged themselves perfectly along the table. They said hello to Molly as well and took their seats. So far Harry sat at the end with Hermione to his right, Dumbledore to his left. Remus sat next to Dumledore and Tonks next to Hermione.

From there on a stream of people came in via Floo. First came McGonagall who gave Harry and Hermione a small smile in greeting before waving to Tonks and Remus. Mad-Eye stepped through, roughly patting Harry on the back, followed by Kingsley who was a little gentler. He shot Tonks an inquisitive look and she responded with a thumbs up – she was fine.

The rest of the Weasleys finally made it, led by the twins who instantly crowded around Harry and told him about the shop they were setting up until Bill and Charlie came through and took pity on him. One person Harry had definitely not expected to walk through the Floo was Fleur Delacour.

"Fleur! Is that you?" Harry had exclaimed as she walked up to him and kissed him on both cheeks in the typical French manner.

"Mais oui! I working for Gringotts as an intern and William has invited me to come for dinner! I was very surprised to hear it would be at your place, 'Arry!" Seeing Hermione she also smiled in recognition and greeted the girl in the same way she had Harry. She moved down the table to sit down and promised they'd talk a bit later to which Harry agreed of course.

Dumbledore merely sat there the whole time, politely nodding to everyone who entered. Ron and Ginny eventually passed through and Harry quickly shook Ron's hand and hugged Ginny as they looked disappointed to not sit close to him and Hermione. Shrugging apologetically Harry told them they'd talk later if they had time.

Eventually the table was full and Dumbledore stood. "Dear friends, I am sure Severus will join us after dinner. Tuck in!" This caused a few chuckles – no one had actually expected Snape to come to the dinner.

* * *

Compared to the meals Harry and Hermione had in the past two days, this one was very lively. The twins provided a lot of entertainment and conversation was going on everywhere. Remus had Dumbeldore engaged in a conversation on the situation with Buckbeak which seemed to amuse Dumbledore greatly as his eyes shone brightly when Remus detailed exactly what Sirius had done to the room to make it homely for Buckbeak.

Tonks was showing off some Metamorphing skills and Harry picked up a few snippets of the conversation she'd been in with Hermione that he couldn't really understand the meaning of. Something about blood, a week and insatiable craving for peanut butter and cookie dough.

Harry let his eyes wander of the people as he hoped he'd get to enjoy many more dinners with all these people here. He knew that war would draw casualties and he hoped that none of the ones gathered here would have to suffer. The lively atmosphere engulfed him and he felt comfortable.

Dinner eventually came to an end as Dumbledore once more proved his superiority in all things magic as a mere wave of his hand caused the dishes to arrange themselves in the sink while the sponge came to life magically too and started cleaning the dishes. The plates that Molly had brought along stowed themselves away in the basket which glided over next to the Floo.

The leader of the Order stood and cleared this throat as the crowd fell silent. "Could I please ask all the youngsters that aren't members of the Order as of now to please leave the kitchen? I am sure they can find something to entertain themselves with upstairs." Sending a mock-stern look to the Weasley Twins he added, "And I must ask of you to not venture past the first floor for there are four very serious House Elves currently in the process on renovating the upper levels and will not take kindly to any interruption."

As Ginny, Ron, Gred, Forge and Fleur made their way to the stairs everyone started at Harry and Hermione who sat comfortably.

"Harry mate, you coming?" Ron asked, everyone watching them.

Harry shook his head. "Nah mate, Dumbledore's asked me to stay for this one."

Everyone's attention shifted to Dumbledore who merely nodded. "Indeed, I have offered the opportunity of participating in this meeting to both Mister Potter and Miss Granger."

This caused a whole lot of murmuring amongst the members.

"What, her too? How come they get to stay but I don't!" Ron exclaimed, already starting to go red around the ears.

Dumbledore peered at Hermione and Harry as if to underline the point he made earlier about Ron. "Mister Weaseley, rest assured that your friends will be out of here soon enough and you will be able to speak to them."

"But that's not fair, why do they get to-" Ron continued.

Fred clamped his hand over Ron's mouth as George started dragging him up the stairs. Dumbledore had shot Ron a look that clearly conveyed he had not been amused and was growing impatient. Nodding to the retreating teenagers, Dumbledore waited for the door to close.

Molly was the first to speak, she was clearly unhappy. "Albus, what is this madness? Send the two out as well, they're just children! They must not hear what-"

Before Dumbledore could respond, someone else did. Harry had been growing more and more irritated the second the words had left Molly's mouth, hating the feeling of being treated like a clueless child. His hands on the table had formed fists and he was about to jump up and tell Molly off but a hand on his knee had calmed him down. He saw the look Hermione gave him; she was clearly displeased as well.

"Don't, Harry," she whispered, "That will exactly do what she implies and prove your immaturity."

Nodding in understanding, Harry unclenched his fists and placed his hand on hers on his knee instead.

Whereas Harry had controlled himself, Tonks had not. Slamming her fist on the table, Tonks jumped up and roared.

"They are NOT children anymore, Molly!" She yelled, causing a deafening silence across the kitchen. Dumbledore merely learned back in his chair and crossed his legs, interested in hearing what Tonks had to say.

"Harry and Hermione are the two most mature and responsible young adults I have ever had the pleasure of knowing! When I was their age I was worrying about make-up and who the hottest guy was in my classes! They are far deeper in this bloody war than yourself so don't you _dare_ imply that they have no right to know the things we discuss. Without Harry none of us would bloody be here!" Tonks ranted, showing no signs of stopping as no one dared to interrupt her.

"If it wasn't for Harry you'd at least have two dead family members!" Tonks yelled, causing Molly to flinch, recalling very clearly how close both Ginny and Arthur had come to dying. "None of us can truly understand the burdens Harry has to carry for all of us, the pain he goes through _daily_ because we can't kill one _fucking _wizard! And he's done it once before, when he couldn't even walk on his own! It's exactly _this _kind of mothering and smothering treatment that caused _Sirius to die!_ If we hadn't kept every single detail from Harry Sirius would. Be. Alive. Harry's only family! Do you understand that, Molly? IF WE DO EXACTLY WHAT YOU KEEP SAYING THEN WHO WILL DIE NEXT TIME? Huh? Who will it be? Will it be Arthur, guarding at the Ministry? Will it be Bill or Charlie when Harry is lured into a trap with a false vision someone being captured? Will it be Dumbledore because we have to battle Voldemort himself because Harry didn't _KNOW_ something? Will it be Remus and I because we chased Harry if Hermione gets taken? I promise you right now that Harry will personally rip your heart out if _Hermione_ or someone close to him _dies _because we did what you say we should do and send them out of this room! Know this Molly; the blood will be on YOUR hands shall that happen!"

Tonks came to a stop, panting as her knuckles were white from how hard she clenched her fists as she glared at Molly throughout her rant.

Harry's eyes had been wide in shock, same as Hermione's who sat right next to Tonks. She could feel Harry's grip tighten on her hand under the table when Tonks made her last point. His eyes had hardened and he had drawn a sharp breath. She saw that Tonks had been right. If she got captured Harry would walk to the gates of hell and back to get her back and brutally murder everyone on the way who stood between him and his goal. She was very well aware of the power Harry had inside him and that he could unleash if provoked. Casting a Patronus strong enough to drive off 100 Dementors in third year had just been the tip of the iceberg, she knew.

The silence was absolute. The only sound was Tonks' ragged breathing. Hermione swore she could hear the elves working three stories above them.

After a minute, Moody broke the silence. "Aye, I agree with Tonksie. The entire operation in the Ministry was a shit-heap of a disaster 'cause we didn't tell him anything. We captured several Death Eaters at the price of Sirius' Black's life. I'd gladly give the bastards back to their lord to get him back! T'was not worth it, not at all. They're alive and it's a matter of time before they break out of Azkaban when the Dementors defect!" Moody paused to take a gulp from his pitcher.

"Then Sirius' death will be in vain." That caused everyone to look solemn and Molly's eyes were wet despite Arthur's arm around her. "No one here's survived as many encounters with the Dark Lord as young Potter has. Five times! The lad here has survived him 5 times and beat him in a battle of wills at the Ministry less than a month ago. Before that he duelled him to a standstill at the graveyard! And we all know that he'd be dead without the trusty Granger girl, treat 'em as a package deal! It is crucial that we learn from our mistakes, unless you want more fatalities as Tonks here has so accurately described. One more mistake like that and Potter could be the one dead next time."

Tonks sat down as Alastor finished. Dumbledore slowly rose and every eye was on him. "Now that we have that out of our systems, yes, we have made a critical error last school term that I am at least partially responsible for. Harry is the most crucial figure on this chess board and we must make sure to prepare him as much as we can and this includes information. Now, let us start with the events of last night, Kingsley, if you please could…"

Almost everyone gave their reports while Harry and Hermione listened intently. They were definitely going to thank Tonks for standing up for them so explosively.

Kingsley had gotten the ball rolling by telling them of the attack he and Tonks had walked in on at their boss' house and how that had gone.

Dumbledore reported on the day he had spent with Amelia Bones, taking care of things in the Ministry. He had recalled how she had gathered the entire Auror force in the largest court room, had Dumbledore magically secure the room before screaming her lungs out at her troops at their incompetence. She had fired at least six people right in that room, and had told them all they'd be screened for Imperius influence as well as the Dark Mark. Anyone who failed to show up to the testing would be tagged as Death Eater and a kill on sight order would be issued. He was to spend the next day with her as well, agreeing to assist with various issues. Apparently the combined name of Dumbledore and Bones got things done in the ministry very swiftly.

The other members of the order working inside the Ministry reported on the political moves and possibilities that were coming up given Fudge's likelihood of being sacked in a matter of weeks.

They had just finished all the reports when Severus Snape stumbled through the Floo, looking very much worse for wear. Simply ignoring anyone offering assistance or help, he had said,

"The Dark Lord is very much displeased. With his top generals in Azkaban and losing thirteen minions last night, he is very much angered. It seems that Potter," he said with sneer at the name, "has actually learned something from my teachings and has succeeded in keeping him out while asleep, further enraging him. The Dementors are proving to be more difficult than expected and will not simply jump at the opportunity to side with him once more."

With what was almost respect, Snape had turned and specifically and looked at Harry when he had continued. "They fear Potter, his Patronus has easily driven one hundred of them off two years ago whereas the Dark Lord cannot even harm them properly, being incapable of producing a Patronus. His dark magic is a mere snack to them and amuses them more than it harms them. They fear that Potter's magic will grow powerful enough to actually cause them to perish upon contact with his Patronus so negotiations with them are going downhill for the moment."

"Bellatrix and Wormtail took the brunt of his rage. What you see of me is only what overlapped." Snape finished before nodding to Dumbledore and limping back to the Floo only to disappear in a flash of green after gingerly handing a small vial of potion to Remus who nodded thankfully.

"That is certainly good news." Dumbledore said, stroking his beard.

* * *

The meeting had finished half an hour later. Molly had rushed to the Floo and disappeared without even taking her basket or saying goodbye. Bill assured his father that he and Charlie would get all the kids back home soon enough. Thanking them Arthur followed Molly, presumably to comfort her. Tonks thought she should at least try to look like she felt bad for what she had said, but it didn't quite work. She had meant what she said and that wouldn't change.

They had all moved to the ground floor as a group as Dumbledore suggested they should all lounge around for a bit and catch up with some old friends after most of the older generation of the Order had left. The group had moved to the dining room where the Ginny, Ron, the twins and Fleur were currently discussing something over a game of Exploding Snap.

Charlie had quickly gotten into a conversation with Tonks about Dragons and Remus had been dragged to a corner of the room by the twins and they were discussing something in hushed tones. Fleur had waved Bill over the second she saw him enter and he gladly complied. She also waved Harry and Hermione over, who followed.

Dumbledore stood at the end of a table, looking around in admiration of the elves' work he approached Harry and motioned over to a far corner of the room. Hermione got up to follow him and quickly shook his head and mouthed "just a moment" to her. Raising her eyebrows she nodded and sat back down next to Fleur. She sat in a circle with Bill, Fleur, Ginny and Ron. Ron was scowling and kept looking between her and Harry who decided to ignore it, Ginny seemed annoyed by something and glared at Hermione. Bill and Fleur were somewhat oblivious to all the byplay as they only had eyes for each other really.

"Thank you for letting us sit in on that one, sir. While our presence alone caused some disturbance I think it's a crucial experience for us to know what the Order is like on the inside." Harry started as he and Dumbledore stood at a cabinet showcasing the old Black chinaware.

The old wizard nodded. "Indeed, and we have gained some very valuable information. For the Dementors to _fear_ you speaks volumes of your abilities, Harry."

Harry ducked his head at the praise but nodded. "Is it actually possible to destroy a Dementor?"

Seeming thoughtful for a moment, Dumbledore answered, "Yes, I believe so. But that is another discussion, perhaps for Saturday with Miss Granger, no?" Seeing Harry agree, he continued. "The reason I called you here without Miss Granger is so I could inquire whether you've told her about the prophecy yet. I do not wish to let anything slip that could cause a disagreement between the two of you." He explained gently.

Harry sighed heavily. It was a topic he had been pushing to the back of his mind as much as he could. "No sir, I have not."

Albus inclined his head for a moment before speaking. "I believe you should tell her as soon as you can, Mister Potter." Harry looked surprised at hearing that. "It is evident that you trust her with your life and she is bound to find out sooner rather than later. It is better if she hears it from you; otherwise she may believe that you do not trust her with such crucial information. I believe confiding in her will make you feel a lot better, lifting a metaphorical weight off your back. After all, a pain shared is a pain halved." Dumbledore said. "But that is just the advice of an old man, you do not have to follow it."

Harry nodded and waved for Hermione to come over. She quickly got up and stood next to him and also thanked Dumbledore for letting them attend the Order meeting. He had replied to her the same as he had to Harry and said he was now ready for any questions they had.

They had started with the wards around the house and that they'd like to open them to Gringotts mail. Dumbledore had actually looked sheepish at forgetting to open the wards to owls and said he'd make the adjustment before leaving.

Hermione continued with the question of how they could enter the house in the first place given that Sirius was dead. Dumbledore answered that he assumed Sirius had either transferred the ownership to himself or to Harry in his will.

That brought them to the topic of Gringotts. Dumbledore looked very interested when they recounted the story of how they met Ragnok. The elderly wizard said that this could work out to be very advantageous for them in the war and he asked them kindly to keep him up to date as much as possible.

When Hermione inquired about Kreacher, he had grown quite grim. Simply saying he had "dealt" with Kreacher as a threat to their security they dropped the topic.

"Sir, could we take a bit of walk to my room perhaps?" Harry casually asked, "We have made a discovery that we feel you should know about that might not be suited for all eyes or ears…" he trailed off with a wide gesture, implying everyone around the three.

Dumbledore nodded with a curious glint in his eyes and followed them to Harry's room. Harry called upon Dobby who had the black box with him. Gingerly handing the box to Dumbledore, the elf disappeared again.

Before he tapped it with his wand, Harry explained how he had felt when seeing the object for the first time. Here Dumbledore turned very serious and asked them to step back as he placed the box on Harry's desk and tapped the top with his wand.

He levitated the locket out and started casting several detection spells. Harry bent over in pain and Hermione gently led him to the bed and wrapped her arm around him in comfort. Sweat was starting to gather as Dumbledore cast more and more spells, causing the locket to grow in a sickly red.

Hearing Harry moan, Dumbledore looked behind him and realized the effects of the object on Harry. Locking it away in the box quickly he kneeled next to Harry.

"I am sorry Harry, I hadn't realized the effect it has on you." He stated, suddenly looking his age.

Harry shook his head and got up again. "It's fine Professor. It's… It's connected to Voldemort, isn't it? That's why my scar hurts when it's near me."

Dumbledore nodded gravely. "I will take it to Hogwarts with me and conduct a few tests. I have a very strong suspicion and if it turns out to be correct we may have taken a very big step towards defeating Tom." The professor explained. Harry and Hermione's face mirrored their confusion. "I promise I will explain on Thursday when we have a bit more time. How about we join everyone on the ground floor?"

The black box vanished somewhere in his silvery robe. As they walked towards the door of Harry's room, Hermione asked, "Sir, one more question. Why aren't the Weasleys staying here this summer?" Harry too looked interested at this question.

Fixing her with his gaze, Dumbledore sighed and stopped. "It may sound a tad harsh Miss Granger, but my reasons are quite simple. For one, I want Harry to be around people this summer who can help him. As I have told you, Harry needs to grieve properly. All of you who stay here can relate to him. Remus because Sirius was his last brother from the old times, Nymphadora because Sirius was the only part of her extended family she ever liked, and of course you because you understand Harry here like none other and he trusts no one else as much as you, Miss Granger. This includes me. As you may have picked up, all of you share something over Sirius' death: guilt. Everyone who currently lives here feels at least partially responsible and guilty for his death, rightfully or not is debatable."

Dumbledore removed his glasses and rubbed his tired eyes. "I didn't feel the Weasleys would be the best for Harry to spend his entire summer with. Trust me, Molly has tried several times to let me allow them to stay here for the summer with you but I have denied her consistently. Apparently Ronald and Ginerva are _quite _intent on spending their summers with you," Dumbledore said with a slight tone of distaste, "which was another reason. Forgive me if I made too many assumptions Harry, but I felt like the least thing you needed now was the overbearing nature of Molly, don't tell her I said that, or two peers who cannot relate to the severity or entirety of your situation." Was the rest of the explanation. To both Harry and Hermione it made perfect sense and they couldn't help but agree.

Harry's hand found Hermione's and she squeezed it gently. He doubted he could even do this with Ron and Ginny around, much less spend so much time with Hermione and get to know this wilder, bolder, exciting side of Hermione. Dumbledore led the way back down the stairs and two followed.

* * *

They entered the room to find it barely changed from when they had left it half an hour ago.

Bill and Fleur were still deeply engaged in a conversation. The French half-Veela was gesticulating wildly and Bill was laughing heartily. Remus had somehow ended up in an arm wrestling match against Fred and George simultaneously with Tonks and Charlie as the judges who were constantly sabotaging the match by shaking the table or poking the contestants.

Ron and Ginny were still in the seats they had occupied earlier. Their heads were together and they were talking in hushed whispers. When they saw Dumbledore they separated but saw Harry and Hermione enter with their hands intertwined.

Dark looks passed between the two of them but they said nothing. Harry reluctantly let go of her hand – he had noticed the dark look. Sighing to himself he couldn't help but agree with Dumbledore's words – enduring this for the rest of the summer would've been bad.

Dobby and his three companions popped into existence before Dumbledore.

"We has finished our task sir. Winky, Blinky and Dinky will goes back to Hogwarts and Dobby will stay with Master Mister Harry Potter sir!" Dobby declared proudly.

Dumbledore nodded and thanked them. Hermione and Harry got on their knees and hugged each of the elves and thanked them profusely for all their work. The elves beamed at the praise. Dumbledore asked for a word with Dobby and took him to the side for a moment, whispering something to the small elf. The elf in question had looked at Dumbledore with big eyes and had nodded in whatever he was agreeing to. Dobby said to Harry and Hermione they just needed to call for him and he'd be able to hear them anywhere if they needed anything.

Dumbledore left after a short while, telling Harry and Hermione he'd see them on Thursday and hopefully he'd "have some answers." Winking at his two students, the Headmaster wished everyone a good night and disappeared in a pop.

An uncomfortable moment passed as Ginny and Ron started at their two friends. Not wanting to drag it out any further, Harry simply acted as if nothing was amiss and he walked to Tonks and Charlie.

Charlie looked embarrassed by something Tonks had said and she smiled at the two younger magicals as they approached.

"Look who it is, Charlie! Loverboy and lovergirl, I'm telling you now they're the cutest!" Harry and Hermione had the decency to look embarrassed at Tonks' words. Growing serious for a moment, they looked at the Metamorphmagus and Harry spoke for the two of them in a soft voice.

"Thanks for earlier Tonks… Having someone stand up for us and tell them how it is… It means so much. I was going to start yelling myself but Hermione told me it'd prove immaturity."

Tonks' features softened and she pulled the two into a hug. "No need to thank me, someone clearly had to give Molly and those who agreed with her a real talking to. Besides, after helping me get... over my troubles this morning, it was the least I can do for you. No one realises how much you do for us Harry, and they don't even know all the burdens you bear." Came her soft reply. Seeing how vaguely she referenced their morning and revelation of Voldemort's mental invasion into Harry's mind for the year they picked up on the fact that she didn't want to say anything incriminating around non-Order members.

Before letting the two go, Tonks whispered into Harry's ear, "And be careful tonight, okay tiger? We saw how Snape looked; He-Who-Has-A-Shitty-Name must be downright pissed and will be out for revenge. Protect your mind as good as you can, scream out loud if you need help and I'll be down in a flash."

Realizing the truth behind her words Harry nodded grimly and could already see the concerned look on Hermione's eyes. Tonks stepped back and Harry turned his head to see Hermione already look at him in question.

"I'll be fine." He mouthed to her but she was clearly not convinced. Looking over her shoulder she saw two redheads approaching and nodded – for now, that is.

"My brother Gred-" One of them started.

"Yes oh brother Forge?"

"It would seem that these two-"

"Have managed something we have not."

"Indeed." Both of them nodded simultaneously.

"Our attempts at sitting in on a full Order meeting-"

"Or even listening in on snippets of one-"

"Have always been foiled as quickly as we could think of them."

Their synchronised talking amused everyone greatly and Fred indicated that they wanted to show Harry "a few things" when they went to purchase their supplies for the upcoming year. Then the two slipped away, most likely to embarrass Bill in front of Fleur.

Taking their place were Ron and Ginny who had gotten up from their chairs. Ginny smiled at Harry, Ron still looked reserved. "So what was the meeting about?" Ron started, looking from Harry to Hermione and back.

Harry shrugged casually. "Ah, you know. Just things that've been happening, the attack last night and all that… pretty much consisted of everyone giving an update from what they've been doing and what's been happening in the Ministry. Snape made an appearance that was about it."

"Really?" Ginny said, her gaze fixed on him, "We heard some shouting and yelling coming from the kitchen."

Harry looked at Hermione and she shrugged.

Ron agreed with his sister, "Yeah but we couldn't listen in 'cause the elves caught us and soundproofed the door. They also wouldn't let us in any of the rooms on the first floor, what's up with that?"

"Which rooms?" Hermione said with a frown.

"The one we shared last summer and the one opposite that one." Ginny clarified.

"Ah, those are our rooms." Harry said.

"I thought your room was on the second floor mate." Ron replied, scowling slightly.

Harry shrugged again. "Only four of us live here so there were many to choose from. Remus and Tonks chose that one for me. Hermione just took the one opposite mine." Came the explanation.

The two Weasleys raised their eyebrows at that. "Why does Hermione have a room here?" Ginny asked.

Green eyes met chocolate ones for a moment. "I live here." Hermione explained simply. This explanation also seemed to be news to the redheads as they looked surprised. Ron's surprise quickly turned into a dark look as his eyes narrowed and shot between Harry and her.

"Aren't your parents muggles? I thought you stay with them." He remarked.

"Yes Ronald, my parents are _muggles_." Hermione replied with an edge to her voice. Harry had to resist the urge to take her hand or pull her close to him. "For your information they are spending a year travelling thanks to Dumbledore, so I'm going to live here for a year, with Harry, Tonks and Remus."

Ginny quickly interrupted before her brother could say something stupid. Trying to remain neutral she kept her eyes on Harry, wandering down his new clothes. "Dumbledore sent your parents away Hermione? How come?"

Still with certain hardness in her voice, Hermione spoke, "Dumbledore sent them on a world trip for their safety. I am already a prime target for being so _close _to Harry as well as being muggle-born. Since my parents can't be protected at all times it was simply easier to have them go on vacation." Harry had been surprised at her words. To him it had sounded as if she had intentionally emphasised her closeness to him, but maybe he was just reading into things.

Ginny had heard that emphasis too. After appreciating Harry's look her gaze shifted and she locked eyes with Hermione. Hermione had just marked her territory, she knew. One glance at Harry told her that he had been entirely clueless though, so nothing was definite yet.

"That makes sense, I guess," Ginny spoke, looking back at Harry who had taken a passive stance, "say Harry, why haven't you responded to any of our letters? We've been sending them daily since the first day of the holidays."

Before he could say anything, Hermione answered for him, "Harry hasn't received any mail at all, the wards around here don't permit it. Maybe they will from now on as we have requested Dumbledore to modify them."

At the name, Ron grumbled. "You wouldn't know why he won't let us stay here, would you?"

Harry instinctively shook his head. "No idea mate."

Hermione made the next move. "If you want to know, you'll have to ask him. Do tell me, why would you want to stay here though? Is there anything wrong with The Burrow?"

Ron seemed uncomfortable at her inquisitive gaze on him. "Ah you know, you guys are here… and stuff…" He trailed off.

"Actually, I don't quite know. All Harry and I do mostly is study and spend time with Remus and Tonks," To herself though, she added, _'and alone by ourselves… in bed.' _"So I really don't see why you'd want to stay here. You only get to see most of your family for three months a year so you should spend it with them. Besides you can't play Quidditch here, Ronald. So please, do enlighten me." Hermione finished, her eyes slightly narrowed.

The redhead in question looked away and mumbled something while shrugging. Harry sighed and prayed for something to give him and excuse and leave and preferably take Hermione with him so they could talk.

His prayers were answered in the form of an excitable Metamorph who came from behind and put him in a headlock.

"What's up loverboy, feelin' alright are we?" Tonks said jovially as she ruffled his hair.

"Ugh! Let go of me you devil! I should file for sexual harassment and a restraining order!" Harry exclaimed in amusement. His hair now stuck out into all kinds of directions, more than usual, given the product Hermione had put into his hair. Letting him go Harry stood up.

"Actually I am feeling a bit tired, Nymphie, so I think I'm gonna take a shower and go sleep. Are you and Remus all good to clean up here?"

"Of course you rascal and don't you dare think you'll get away with calling me that We'll make sure everyone gets home, don't you worry. Go loverboy, go sleep!" She shoved him towards the door. "You going as well lovergirl?" She asked to Hermione, who nodded and yawned.

"Yeah, we've had a long day. Shopping, redecorating and meeting our fluffy friend… I'll go with Harry."

Ron and Ginny had certainly heard the nicknames and frowned, unsure why Tonks called them that and whether she was being serious about any of it. It was, after all, Tonks they were talking about here.

"It was nice seeing you mate, you too Ginny. I'm sure we'll see each other soon enough, have a good night." Hermione nodded her agreement. The two walked around the dining room fairly quickly, saying their goodnights to everyone. When they got to Remus, he said, "Feel free to sleep in tomorrow, we have nothing on really plus Dobby can take care of everything that could come up."

Nodding their agreement they left the room with an apology from Fleur that she hadn't gotten around to talking to them at all. They had laughed it off and told Bill to owl them and they could organise a small dinner soon and catch up. Bill and Fleur had agreed and wished them a good night.

The moment they had reached the hallway, Hermione had taken Harry's hand, not even caring if anyone had seen them through the open doors. They walked up the stairs and stopped outside their doors.

"I'll knock on your door when I'm ready for bed, okay? We can say goodnight then." She suggested and he agreed.

Twenty minutes later he heard a knock on his door. Opening it he found Hermione standing there in a similar attire to what she had worn the night before. This time she wore some sort of loose shorts that stopped mid-thigh. They looked comfortable enough. Harry noticed she was barefoot this time. The elves had laid fluffy carpet over the floor in their hallway, making it a viable option to run around barefooted at least on their floor. She wore a similar sweater to the one she had worn last night but this one seemed a bit snugger around her chest and shoulders. It looked soft though, at least to Harry.

Harry himself wore baggy cotton shorts that were meant for exactly the purpose of being worn around the house at moderate temperatures. He wore a simple grey T-Shirt which was definitely on the snug side of the scale.

"Hey." He said softly and let her into his room.

He was about to close the door behind her but she stopped him by placing a hand on his arm. "I changed my mind," she softly started, "I'm not here to say goodnight."

"Huh?"

"I'm not letting you sleep on your own tonight, Harry. Tonks is right, Voldemort will definitely try and penetrate your shields when you're asleep. I'm gonna be there to pull you out of a nightmare in case I have to."

Her eyes were resolute and Harry wasn't going to complain anyway. Spending a night with her, the person he trusted the most, by his side seemed like a great idea.

"Okay," he whispered, "where do we sleep?"

Hermione took his hand and grabbed his blanket as she led him out of the way. Harry switched off the lights and shut the door behind him. They entered the Drawing Room and Hermione made a beeline to the couch. The room was illuminated in the soft moonlight. Before joining her, Harry called out softly, "Dobby!"

The elf instantly appeared, greeting him in his usual fashion, eager to please.

"Dobby, Hermione and I will be spending the night in here, okay? Could you please make sure that nobody enters our rooms while we are asleep and that no one can open the door from the outside for this room for tonight? We have things to discuss and don't wish for anyone to just walk in here."

Dobby naturally agreed and flicked his fingers. On the table appeared two steaming hot chocolates with marshmallows and sprinkles. The fireplace had fired up as well. He wished them a good night and softly popped away.

Hermione had taken seat on the new couch. Dobby and the elves had outdone themselves in her mind. The couch was soft, the pillows were ideal for their heads, and it was now wide and long enough for both of them to stretch out their legs and fit on it side by side if their bodies were close enough.

"Are you tired at all Hermione?" Harry asked as he finished his hot chocolate. They had spent the past minutes discussing the meeting and the dark magic object that Dobby had found and Dumbledore had taken. They had just finished their hot chocolates.

"A little, you?" She said, placing her empty mug on the table.

"Just a bit."

A comfortable silence descended and Harry decided to show Hermione a bit more of his forward side, having seen a surprising amount of hers. He lay down on the couch and motioned for her to join him. Cocking an eyebrow she took her wand from her shorts, extinguished the fire, placed it on the ground and stretched her body along the couch so she ended up laying next him. She could feel the blanket descend over her as Harry adjusted it to cover both of them. He didn't pull it up yet though and let it lay around their stomachs.

Making herself comfortable, Hermione rolled onto her side and curled next to him, pressing herslef into his side. His arm went around her shoulders as her head came to rest on his chest, listening to his somewhat accelerated heartbeat.

Hermione froze when she felt something very _stiff_ press against her thigh. "Harry?" She asked in a small voice.

"Oh, err, sorry… that's, err, my wand." Awkwardly reaching around his stomach with his other arm under the blanket, Harry tried his best to not bump into any of her… precious cargo. He managed to free his wand and she could hear the sound of it being placed on the ground.

Pushing herself a bit higher so their heads were on the same level, she whispered into his ear in a suggestive voice, "Not quite the _wand _I was expecting , to be honest."

Harry groaned and she giggled. "Why are you and Tonks so stubborn in driving me crazy with your constant teasing!" Harry complained as he rolled his head so it rested against hers.

"What, don't you like this?" She asked quietly, wriggling her body against his under the blankets.

"Ugh, stop it 'Mione…" He pleaded, trying to tighten his arm around her so that she would stop moving.

"Or what?" She almost huskily whispered into his ear. Somewhere in the back of his mind Harry knew that they had long crossed borders they had subconsciously set when they had shared their bed in the previous night and that everything with Hermione was new from then on. They would have to see where they'd draw those new borders and lines.

Slowly turning so that both their bodies lay on their sides and faced each other, Harry suddenly wrapped the arm that her head wasn't resting on around her waist and pulled her close, forcing her to straighten her legs. She almost yelped in surprise. There was literally almost no distance between them now. Her breasts were pressed into his chest, their noses were almost touching. She almost instinctively wanted to raise her top leg and wrap it around his but didn't. At least not yet.

"Or the _wand_ that you were expecting will be the one pressing into your thigh instead of my wooden one." He replied in an equal fashion, their eyes locked.

Hermione was trying to wrap her analytical mind around the situation but didn't get far. She had taken charge this morning, now Harry seemed to return the favour. She hadn't even had time throughout the day to think about this change in their interaction since the previous day.

She gazed into his emerald eyes and her free arm untangled itself from the one he had used to pull her close to him. Her hand ran up his forearm, his biceps, his shoulder, his neck, all the way to his cheek where it rested gently.

"Don't forget that I'm a hormonal boy about to turn sixteen, Hermione." He whispered.

She caressed his cheek for a while before replying with the same look as him in her eyes. "And don't you forget that I'm an equally hormonal girl. What goes for me goes for you." Was her whispered reply.

Her hand went back to gently caressing his shoulder before running through the hair at the back of his head. The tense moment passed and Harry relaxed slightly as she could feel his arm pressing her to him loosen a bit, but still held her against him.

By an unspoken agreement they decided to discuss whatever they had wanted to talk about in the morning.

Feeling her hand explore the back of his head, Harry allowed his own hand to roam along her back. He explored the smooth skin of her exposed neck with his fingers and made spirals down her shoulder blades. His hands moved to her lower back, noticing the distinct lack of a bra clasp pushing through her shirt. Reaching her lower back he could feel her body's warmth though the single layer of cloth she wore.

A shiver ran down Hermione's spine at Harry's gentle touch. She felt him hesitate a little as he trailed little circular patterns on her back. The two hadn't broken eye contact ever since Harry had put them into this position. Pushing herself a little closer to him by pressing her chest into his, she whispered.

"I don't mind." She had given into her body's need to feel his hand touch more of her, explore more of her, holding her in a way she had never thought anyone ever would bother to.

Registering the meaning of her words, Harry ran his hand down her lower back to her lovely bum, which he had appreciated from distance before. Hermione seemed to shiver again and a content smile formed on her face as Harry very gently squeezed one of her cheeks before running his hands along her curves. She responded by slithering her top leg between his two, intertwining them once more.

His hand eventually came to a rest on her behind as hers stopped moving through his hair. "You're so soft and smooth, Hermione." He commented. The result was her cheeks heating up and her now smiling shyly.

She could see his eyes glow in the moonlight as he examined her facial features. Her hair had been messy as she hadn't bothered with it after the shower aside from a drying charm yet his eyes spoke volumes of what he thought of her.

Setting his hand into motion again, she could feel it run along the side of her rear, gently up her side to her shoulder. Harry gently raised his hand to her face and started tracing its outlines and Hermione did her best to continue locking her gaze with his and not lean into his touch.

A smile and idea formed in Harry's head as he examined her soft lips and the area around them. One of the marshmallows must've come in contact with her skin before she'd eaten it as she had little chocolate smudge just next to the corner of her mouth.

"What is it?" She asked softly at his amused look and small smile.

"Nothing." He replied equally soft. His hand cupped her cheek and he leaned in. Hermione held her breath. _'Is he…'_

She closed her eyes instinctively and she could feel Harry kiss her – not quite on the mouth but right next to it, the corners of their lips had touched. Harry had kissed away the little stain of chocolate and ran this thumb over the spot he had kissed to dry it. He moved himself back into his previous spot and she started breathing again. _'So… so close…'_

"Mmm, chocolate." He purred as he licked his lips at what he had just kissed off her skin. A dazzling smile was his reward as she melted on the inside at how sweet he was. She absently wondered what would've happened if she had given in to more of her body's desires earlier and had gone more on the offensive… at this rate she was certain she'd find out over the next weeks.

"You're so beautiful Hermione." Harry whispered as she felt him pull the blanket up from their midsections all the way over her shoulder.

"You're not too bad yourself, Harry." Hermione answered with a smile.

With the smile staying on her face she moved her head to lay on his chest and curled up against him again as he lay back on his back with his head atop hers.

"Good night, 'Mione."

"Good night, Harry."

After a few moments of silence, Harry added. "Thank you for keeping me safe… this is how I keep Voldemort out."

He could feel her nod against him and murmur a sound of understanding. "You're welcome… you can always count on me to be there to keep you safe from him."

And with that the two slowly drifted to sleep lying in each other's arms, feeling warm, cuddly and safe from everything. Little did they realize that they had already fallen for each other and were still falling more and more in love with another, acting more and more like a couple every minute. It was now only a matter of time before they realized it as they transcended the boundaries of being best friends to being something more.

* * *

**Author's Note #2: Oh. My. God. This chapter is almost 25k words long. Holy moly. Well you all were telling me to update, so bam, here you go, I updated! So far I've managed every 2 days. That's good, yeah? As you may have seen at the top, I scrolled up a few times during the process of writing this to freak out about its length. A lot happens this chapter, we have some fights, lots of fluffiness, and other developments! I bet you guys thought they were gonna fully kiss at the end.**

**NOT QUITE. Mwhaha. It'll happen soonTM, we're building up to it.**

**The Weasleys will be a more considerable factor around the time of Harry's birthday, you'll see. From next chapter onwards we will start picking up the pace a little, as our heroes have to aid Dumbledore in acquiring Horace Slughorn, learn of Horcruxes, start their training and have a will-reading to attend.**

**A review would be much appreciated, they always make me smile and motivate me quite a bit. The next chapter will come soon, don't fret. Also I apologize for any typos and grammar errors but this chapter is long as fuck and I am bound to have made dozens of errors.**

**Since this is a long ass chapter I will permit myself to write a slightly longer note here. For some reason this story is writing itself. I have a few notes open on the side when I write but aside from that my fingers just flow across my BlackWidow keyboard and spell out the words. I certainly never felt this way writing my Naruto story, but to be fair I've done a whole lot of growing up since then. Anyway.**

**Peace!**


	4. Of love, Werewolves & Souls

**Harry Potter & The Runic Affinity**

**Author's Note: **Why hello there. So yeah, last chapter was fucking massive, eh? In hindsight I probably should not have uploaded it when I hadn't slept the previous night but I just wanted to get it out. Alas there were many spelling errors and such, but I went to sleep and fixed them when I woke up. As _**alix33**_ has correctly guessed, I am German. A German living in Australia. Who woulda thought? I'd also like to thank _**alix33**_ for being pretty cool and pointing out some of my errors to me. I curse my fingers typing faster than my mind being able to think of things or check my fingers' spelling.

I forgot to mention this in my final note last chapter, but whoever got my "equivalent exchange" reference is awesome and should self-five themselves. I'm really happy that so many people are leaving me reviews! Much appreciated and I do take my time to read all of them. I respond to quite a few of them so if you wanna chat, drop one.

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. Nobody makes me own nothing… nobody!**

* * *

**Chapter 4: Of love, Werewolves & Souls.**

Harry woke up feeling great once more. This time it took him less time to realise where he was or who he was with. The sensation of being warm and encased by softness was amazing and was quickly becoming his favourite one, even better than soaring through the skies on a spring day on his Firebolt.

He and Hermione had shifted in the night. She had turned at some point and he had turned on his side and spooned her. Slightly trying to move the arm Hermione's head rested on, Harry quickly discovered the downside of waking up like this – his arm was completely numb. _'I'll happily wake up with a numb arm every morning if the sleep is this good…'_

The other arm was draped over her midsection, his hand on her stomach. Slowly rubbing the area it was on, he could feel her breathe in and out evenly. Their legs were still intertwined and slightly bent.

Harry became intimately aware of her bum firmly located against his crotch and her back was leaning into his chest. Mentally thanking his body by not having him wake with a raging erection, Harry deeply inhaled the scent of her hair and once more lost himself in her aroma. Moving his hand around her midsection Harry could feel bare skin again as her jumper had moved up again during their sleep. Deciding to wake her up playfully, he slipped his hand underneath the fabric. Relishing the warmth of her body, Harry let his hand roam over the smooth skin of her stomach.

Taking in the feel of her firm stomach he smiled in amazement at Hermione's femininity. The Hogwarts uniform had certainly hidden her delicious features and Harry would definitely tell her that he thought just that. Her stomach seemed perfectly proportional to the rest of her body. It wasn't as flat and defined as that of an athlete, but still slim and firm. Letting his fingertips graze over the two bones that framed her stomach and merged into her hips, he could feel her stir awake.

Harry couldn't see it as the majority of his face was covered by her hair and her back was pressed into him, but he could feel her wake. The hand on her stomach felt her breathing quicken and her stomach clench for a moment in confusion as her body tensed but immediately relaxed as she recognized just who exactly she was pressed against.

"Well this is one way I won't complain waking up to." Hermione said softly in greeting. Harry's hand on her abdomen felt nice. It was warm and soft and he explored her tummy in an almost sensual fashion. It didn't quite tickle but made her smile as Harry gently traced the curve of her stomach.

"That's what I thought when I woke up." Harry replied, letting his hand come to rest after his index finger trailed the outline of her bellybutton.

The two lay there, unmoving for a while, enjoying the innocent intimacy. Hermione moved slightly and Harry groaned as her bum rubbed him in a very risqué way. Thinking for a second, Hermione remembered just exactly where her body lay and where her bottom was applying pressure.

Grinning to herself, Hermione wriggled a bit, teasing him just like she had before they had gone to sleep. The sound of him growling was music to her ears. "'Mione…" he whispered in a warning tone.

She, of course, knew all about male anatomy. It came to her as quite the surprise that she hadn't woken up to the sensation of his _wand _pressing into her in the past two mornings. She quickly pushed aside the thought that he wasn't attracted to her, she highly doubted his hand would be on her bare stomach if that was the case. Given that he was a hormonal teen he wondered what it would take for her to get enough of a rise out of him for it to become noticeable.

"What appears to be the problem, Harry?" She asked innocently, not stopping the slow circles her rear was grinding into him.

Harry didn't want to risk making this extremely uncomfortable by having his body respond naturally. It seemed like she _wanted_ his equipment to be pressing into her. Taking action, Harry tightened the arm around her waist once more and pulled her to him abruptly.

The brunette bit her lip as she felt his hand lower as he pulled her close, unsure of whether that was accidental or intentional. The action had pushed her jumper up but had moved his hand lower, now resting dangerously close to her pelvic bone. Half of Harry's hand now rested on the elastic part of her shorts. The upper part of her panties peeked out under her shorts and Harry could feel the two different fabrics.

She could feel Harry slightly raise his head and let out a shudder of a breath as she felt his hot breath on her neck as he whispered. "The problem, Hermione, is that your unbelievably attractive bum is rubbing me in a way that makes me think you almost _want_ to get a reaction out of me." His voice was husky and she could feel his lips rest against the side of her neck as he lowered his head again.

Harry took a moment before he continued. "Equivalent exchange I recall you saying yesterday," Hermione's breathing quickened as she could feel Harry's hand gently caress the lowest part of her stomach and then run a finger along the very top of her panties that showed over the elastic of her shorts, "and I also recall you saying that what goes for me goes for you 'cause you have hormones too…" She had to suppress the urge to let out a soft moan as she felt his lips move against her skin as he spoke and then raised his mouth behind her ear, "So if you tease me I will tease you too and I hope you're ready for the consequences of your actions."

Hermione's hips came to a stop as she let out a shallow breath and he could feel his hand move up her stomach a little. The hormone fuelled, steamy moment passed and both their bodies relaxed from the pleasurable tension. Hermione could feel her heart hammer in her chest. They had barely done anything, layers of clothing had separated them but it had been so exhilaratingly exciting. She only now realized how fast her breathing had been when she felt Harry's hand oh so teasingly close to her pubic bone which was only one stop away from her most private regions.

He too felt himself relax and hoped he wasn't at risk of having his member rising anymore as long as they were this close. She had been killing him with her movement; the mere knowledge of his beautiful friend moving against him sensually had caused such tension in his loins and around his calves and had been driving him crazy. Placing a gentle kiss on her exposed neck he lowered his head again so that most of his face was buried in her hair as it had been earlier.

The foot of Hermione's top leg lazily traced circles on the top of Harry's foot, gently rubbing their soft skin together.

As they stilled, Hermione couldn't help but think about how he made her feel in these situations. Waking up next to Harry, or on top of him, was something she was quickly coming to love and hoped to do as many times as possible. Sleeping in his arms made her feel safe and secure. The time before they actually slept and when they woke up was exquisitely intimate, something she had never felt. If anyone had told her a month ago that she'd become physically intimate in a way with her best friend in the first three days of her time with him, she would've blushed at the thought and then she probably would have laughed at such a suggestion.

That though caused her to ponder the term "best friend." Did it still really apply to the two of them? They had certainly done things in the past two days that ordinary best friends would certainly never do. Share a bed, maybe, but the physical interaction, ranging from the touches here and there to holding each other's hands when they could all the way to mutual sexual arousal they seemed to tease each other to. Smiling to herself she realized they'd always be best friends before anything and everything. What came after best friends, whether they would become lovers, partners or else, she didn't know yet but they'd find out. Together.

"What are you smiling about?" Harry inquired gently.

"How do you even know I'm smiling?"

"Your head is on my arm. It's numb but I can feel your cheekbones when you smile."

"Oh, sorry. Your arm must be completely numb, it's been like that for hours."

"It's no problem. I'd gladly wake up with a numb arm if your head sleeps on it."

Hermione smiled again. She didn't understand why she'd never seen this sweet and gentle side of Harry. _'Perhaps because we've never shared a bed before this summer.'_ Noticing her move, Harry raised his arm. A moment later she had turned 180 degrees and was now facing him, her head still resting as their noses almost touched. His hand now rested on her bum that he had been given permission to touch the night before.

"I was smiling because I was thinking about us." She whispered.

"Us?" Harry asked just as quietly.

"Yes. No matter what, we'll always be best friends, right?" She said with questioning eyes, wanting to hear his opinion.

"Of course," he replied instantly, "no matter what happens Hermione, you'll always be my best, closest friend. Nothing short of you deciding otherwise is going to change that for me." The sincerity in his words caused her to smile emotionally at him.

"I can't think of anything that would make me choose otherwise." She said softly.

The two stayed silent for a while. One look at the window revealed the sun to be still just over the horizon so it couldn't be much later than 7 or 8 in the morning.

Harry grinned at her. "So… Tampons?" He asked and Hermione closed her eyes and let out a groan.

* * *

That had been an interesting conversation, especially since they stayed in their position on the couch in close proximity. Hermione had started by asking what he knew of the anatomical differences between boys and girls and Harry had said that aside from the obvious ones, not much.

At the question of whether he knew what a woman's "period" was, Harry had only said that he knew they bled for some time of the month and that was about it.

Hermione had tried to stay as clinical as possible in terms of expression and had quite explicitly explained to him what happened to her body during that time. This had naturally caused several blushes between them but she had kept going – it would be beneficial to have Harry know about this so they wouldn't have to talk about it again.

Explaining exactly _why_ women bled for that time of the month, she had eventually arrived at tampons and slips and their uses. Harry's eyes widened in understanding and he had to avert his eyes from her as he turned red once more.

Blankly he had lowered his eyes to stare at her chest. Realising that staring at her breasts was probably equally bad he met her eyes again.

She laughed at his realisation of what he had held in his hand and exactly what she had sent Remus to deliver to Tonks, now feeling a whole new level of sympathy for the man.

Eventually Hermione got the part where she explained that the bleeding was only one part of it and itself wasn't too bad, but made it so much worse in combination with all the other pains associated with it.

Harry was still struggling with the mental image of shoving one of those cotton things _you-know-where_ so it could… well, _you-know-what._ That train of thought led to one of Hermione using them and he immediately derailed that train, not wanting to have _his_ blood rush to the nether region.

With an extremely shy expression and beetroot face, Hermione said after a pause, "Personally my period is on a slightly shorter cycle than most girls, normally every 25 days or so," still not meeting his gaze, "and if my calculations are accurate, my next one should end just before your birthday, so that's good."

With a surprised look, Harry filed that information into the "important things to know about Hermione" section of his brain and asked, "Are you, umm, on it… right now?"

She shook her head in response. "No, my last one ended just before Dumbledore came to my house."

Nodding, Harry thought for a while. "Are the cramps and pains really that bad?" Was his question. She nodded with a grim expression. "They can be worse than I described."

Here the wizard frowned. "You always seem fine at Hogwarts though. I do recall a few times where you maybe responded a bit more emotionally or aggressively than usual to Ron's words or me being stupid, but you never seemed to be in pain or anything."

Smiling at his observant nature, she explained, "There is a potion you can get from Madame Pomphrey for free that considerably lessens the pain throughout the day which is why you'll never really see me in discomfort during classes or our adventures."

After a pause she continued, wondering just how odd this conversation was and how she couldn't even imagine having it in this detail with another girl, "The cramps and pains are the worst at night, right around the time you want to sleep. They can keep you up all night and can be very intense. Times you thought I was tired in the mornings because I was reading or studying late could've very well been me casting a silencing charm on my bed's curtains before writhing around in pain for the entire night."

"That really sucks. I've a new level of respect for all women now." Harry said with a lopsided smile.

She grinned at his comment before sighing. "You probably won't want to be sharing the same bed as me when I'm on my period, though…" Hermione said dejectedly, finding that prospect worse than the actual period – she was used to that. But now that she had spent the night together with him twice in a row she was getting used to the greatness of it so the prospect of an entire week without him seemed unacceptable.

"Why not?" Harry asked.

Looking at him in disbelief she said, "Haven't you been listening? When I'm on my period I get terrible cramps that are uncomfortable as having someone beat your groin with a beater's bat. I lie in bed and kick and twist and turn, bite the pillow and groan around cursing Mother Nature for the punishment."

Harry cocked an eyebrow and quite seriously asked her, "So?"

"You're impossible sometimes, Harry. You wouldn't get a wink of sleep." Hermione huffed in annoyance.

"Yes, and? Not like I'd get sleep either way." Harry said. Seeing her inquisitive stare, he explained, "I'd be up worrying knowing that you're rolling around sleepless as well, but in pain. Besides without you there, who's gonna keep me safe?"

Her features softened at his words and she smiled gently. He was so sweet she almost felt like she was getting to know him all over again.

Smiling in triumph at her change of expression, he continued, "Besides, I'm bloody Harry Potter, Wizarding prodigy extraordinaire, the Boy-Who-Lived, Triwizard Champion and best friend of Hermione Jane Granger, is there anything I can't do?" He said with mock arrogance. "You know I haven't backed down from any sort of challenge since first year. Trolls, Dark Lords, giant spiders, Basilisks, Dragons, Sphinxes… you name it. I think I can handle a lithe lady in pain."

She giggled at his mock-indignant tone when she implied he wouldn't be able to handle it. They settled into a comfortable silence and Hermione closed her eyes. Moving a bit she turned around again into their spooning position.

After rearranging the blanket she put her hand on his which found its way to her stomach again. She snuggled against him and sighed in content. All was good.

"I mean it, Hermione." Harry said after a while. "You're always there for me, comforting me when in pain no matter what, taking care of me and keeping me safe. Even though your pain is natural and different to what I normally get, I can do the same for you at the very least."

"Thank you." Was all she said. Knowing that Harry was now educated in the ways of period pains and that he'd stay with her even when she'd have her scheduled week of hell, she smiled and the two dozed off for another hour as there was no need to rush to get anywhere.

* * *

Their day had gone by fairly uneventfully for most of it, until the evening that is. Harry and Hermione had entered the kitchen to find it empty so they assumed Remus and Tonks were still asleep so Harry wanted to make breakfast. Opening the fridge a pop announced the arrival of Dobby who immediately started making breakfast, making Harry sit down and drink coffee as the two watched Dobby in his element.

After breakfast Hermione told Harry she'd want to call her parents so he told her to find her in Beaky's room when she was done. Harry had reached the top floor and found the Hippogriff lounging on the balcony munching on a large piece of meat. Buckbeak crooned in greeting and Harry stroked the beasts feathers before taking the picture of Sirius from the night table and sat down against the wall next to the Hippogriff.

He examined the picture of the younger Sirius. Just like he had been told, Sirius seemed to be quite the troublemaker. His hair was wild and long and he wore a very boyish grin, one that Harry could see being quite effective on women. The picture must've been taken sometime around third or fourth year. Smiling sadly Harry continued stroking Buckbeak's feathers and looked up as Hermione entered. She saw him sit and look sad and took the place left of him.

Hoping to be a bit of a distraction she spoke of her parents who were still in America and Harry nodded in interest.

Thinking about how he'd met Sirius in third year, he thought about Ron.

"Hermione, about last night," he started and she looked at him, "d'you reckon Ron was being weird?"

Hermione nodded, she had easily noticed it. It had been glaringly obvious. "Yes, very much so. What did you notice in particular?"

"The dark looks, the frowns and scowls… I really didn't quite expect that."

"Well why do you think he kept looking like that?" Hermione inquired. She had understood Ginny's reaction to an extent, but Ron had confused her too.

"Well… I'm not entirely sure here, but I think it's because of, well, us." Harry explained hesitantly.

Cocking an eyebrow, Hermione gestured for him to go on. "Well you know, we're… closer than normal. At first I thought it was because of the Order meeting but normally Ron would just not care too much about it. I think it's that I paid more attention to you and maybe he saw us holding hands or something." He continued.

Hermione nodded and looked at him. "Do you mind when we… you know?"

Meeting her eyes he smiled reassuringly. "You can hold my hand whenever you want to." He said and she nodded. Her shoulder touched his as she moved closer to him and took his left hand and ran her hand along the outlines of his fingers.

"I think the reason why Ron was being so weird is because he fancies you." Harry said after a while and Hermione looked at him rather surprised.

"What makes you say that?" She wondered. Ron liked her?

"Remember the whole scene at the Yule Ball? Don't you think that the reason for Ron being jealous would've been that it wasn't him that was going with you? Especially after he saw how beautiful you were in the dress? I guess he was super jealous of Viktor, an international Quidditch star, who was taking you to the ball. And since he couldn't let his jealousy out on Viktor he let it out on you instead." Harry explained, seeing that it made more and more sense as he thought about it.

"How on earth is that supposed to win me over? So the moment something he wants is taken by another he starts getting jealous and throws temper tantrums? I don't how that's supposed to impress me." Hermione huffed in disbelief. "Honestly, all that does is anger me. But… I haven't said nor done anything this year that would've made him think that I liked him back in any sort of fashion?"

The raven haired boy shook his head slowly. "Not as far as I remember. Between studying for your OWLs, running the DA, breaking every single educational degree Umbridge came up with and keeping me alive, you haven't really had much time to do anything else that would make him think so."

Grinning at her mischievously, Harry teased, "You know, I think I'll remember this year as the one where you deliberately broke school rules of your free will. I clearly recall you saying "We all could have been killed – or worse, expelled!" in our first year. All I wanted to do this year was obediently sit in Umbridge's class and learn about all the magic I'd never be allowed to practise, but nooooo, you just had to drag me along and break some rules. The more the better, eh?"

Hermione groaned at his teasing words and slapped his shoulder. "Not funny you prat. I was young and naïve."

A silence descended upon them as they remembered their first year. "I'm sorry, by the way. I should not have left you there on the stairs, crying on your own after Ron ruined your night." Harry eventually said, bringing the conversation back on track.

"It's fine, really. You didn't even know what was going on when you came to the stairs. Sometimes it's better to just leave a girl alone for a while to sort things out." Hermione reassured him, taking his hand.

Noting that in his head under the section of useful things to know about girls, Harry asked, "Can you explain what happened with Ginny last night? You sounded quite sharp when she started asking questions about you living here."

Hermione sighed. "I think it's a similar thing to Ron's issue. You know that she has a massive crush on you?"

"What?" Harry looked at her in shock. "Ginny? Crush on me? Huh?"

"You didn't know? Well, Ginny's had a crush on you since she could comprehend the bedtime stories her mother told her about the Boy-Who-Lived and saved the world. Seriously Harry, everyone knew about her liking you except for you."

Harry groaned. He hated it when things were glaringly obvious but no one pointed them out to him. "How was I meant to know? She couldn't even stand to be in the same room as me! Besides isn't she with Dean now? And didn't she have another boyfriend last year? "

Hermione nodded. "Well she was so shy that I told her to try getting to know other boys first to gain some self-confidence if she ever hoped to even hold a conversation with you."

"Won't she get mad at you? I mean you gave her advice on getting closer to me but now you're… well, getting closer to me too." Hermione smiled at his acknowledgement of the fact that they were growing closer.

She shrugged and spoke. "She really has no right to get mad at me. I gave her advice that she didn't have to follow; I never told her that dating other boys would make you fall for her or anything. She's been comfortable enough to talk to you easily since she got onto the Quidditch team, so she can't blame it on anything like that. Besides, it's not like she has a claim on you."

"Not like I'd want her to have a claim on me. Not her at least." He spoke with a sideways glance at her. She caught his eye and wondered what he was implying.

Another lull in the conversation as the two contemplated the words that had been spoken. Hermione was the first to talk. "I'm sorry too, you know. I should've gone to Dumbledore when Umbridge started torturing you. I know you didn't want to create a fuss, but still."

Harry shrugged lightly. "It's fine, don't worry. I don't think that even Dumbledore could've done something at that point. But that's all irrelevant now, she's taken care of."

She accepted his words with a sigh and decided to take a risk with a question. "What… what about you and Cho? How is that going?" She asked quietly.

Not noticing the trepidation on her face, Harry responded, "More like how that "went." That one date we had to Hogsmeade was terrible. It was awkward to hell and we had nothing to talk about and in hindsight, I regret it. She's still caught up on Cedric's death and I think she only decided to get closer to me to close that he left in her heart. Besides, I can't date a girl who doesn't approve of what you and I have." Harry finished with a gentle smile at her, seeing her beam back at him.

'_So we're both officially single.' _Hermione said to herself. _'Cho is definitely out of the picture. Okay. Noted.'_

"What do we do now? You know, about Ron and Ginny?" Hermione asked.

"Nothing, for now. I mean, you don't fancy Ron and I certainly don't like Ginny as anything more than a little sister to me. Ron should've learnt his lesson at the Yule Ball, I mean you screamed at him to man up the next time and ask you out straight up and not as a last resort, didn't you? And besides the occasional wink or hug here and there, Ginny hasn't done anything either. Merlin, I didn't even know she was crushing on me for that long! Also, she's got a boyfriend so she shouldn't be thinking about me anyway."

Not finding any flaws in his reasoning, Hermione nodded. "Sounds good to me, but… should I not hold your hand when they're around?

"We just decided they have no right to be upset if we do, so please continue doing whatever you please. I'll be okay with it." He replied, raising his arm and putting it around her shoulders.

"Mmm, okay, Harry." She murmured into his chest.

* * *

Neither Remus nor Tonks showed for lunch either. Beginning to worry, Hermione summoned Dobby and asked of him to make sure the two were fine and fed. Dobby agreed and served them a delicious lunch. Harry and Hermione spent their time between lunch and dinner in the remodelled living room which now looked quite like the Gryffindor common room. Hermione had found a book in the collection that Dobby had placed onto the newly built shelves and Harry had opted to sift through the DADA books he had for spells that seemed useful so he could request Dumbledore to teach them.

Tonks showed up around dinner time, looking dejected. She greeted Harry and Hermione with a small wave and sat down, digging into her dinner with very little enthusiasm. Not a single word came from her. Hermione gestured for Harry to stay quiet as she spoke.

"Tonks, what's wrong?"

Tonks looked up surprised and looked at them as if she'd just realised the two were in the room despite her having waved to them just a minute ago. "Oh, nothing." She said.

"It's Remus, isn't? What happened?" Hermione asked with concern evident in her voice. Tonks shook her head, pushed her plate back and left the room, looking even more dejected than she had when she entered the room.

"I'll go check on her after dinner." Hermione declared and the two continued their meal.

* * *

Hermione found Tonks on the balcony of the second floor. To her surprise, Tonks was leaning on the railing with a cigarette in her hand. Moving next to her, Tonks wordlessly acknowledged Hermione's presence with a nod.

"Never took you for a smoker to be honest." Hermione said neutrally.

Tonks shrugged. "I allow myself to have one occasionally. Helps calm the nerves. Besides, the doctors at Mungo's can literally cure lung cancer with one spell or a single potion. I could be a chain smoker and never have to worry about anything. Problem is that makes you clothes stink so I only have one here and there."

A comfortable silence passed between the two as Hermione looked at the Auror. Her shoulders were slumped and none of her usual energy glowed in her eyes. Her teasing nature was nowhere to be seen and if Hermione didn't know better she'd have thought that Tonks had swapped feelings with Harry.

"What's wrong Tonks? And don't tell me that nothing's wrong, I'm neither blind nor stupid." She said after Tonks had another drag of her cigarette.

The Auror just shrugged and Hermione pressed on. "It's Remus isn't it? Did anything happen between you two? Is he alright? I assume his transformation would start any minute now."

Tonks sighed. "He told me to thank you, by the way, Hermione. He is really grateful for what you made the elves do to his room and the addition had him in tears when he saw it at first. Your and Harry's open acceptance for his furry little problem means so much to him, I can't even describe it. I am sure he'll thank you once he's recovered."

Hermione nodded mutely. "Don't change the subject, Tonks. What happened between the two of you?"

"The same thing that happened just before you and Harry moved in here. We talked about our feelings for each other and don't see eye to eye. He's being incredibly stupid about it." She explained quietly.

"Care to elaborate?" Hermione asked of her.

Seeing Tonks nod Hermione put her forearms on the railings too and listened. "Remus and I have been spending a lot of time together ever since I joined the Order. Dumbledore often put us on missions and assignments together, anything from running errands to fighting back to back against Death Eaters. When Dumbledore paired me with Shaklebolt once because of the full moon I eventually managed to get Remus talk to me about it. I accepted his Lycanthropy without question, to me it made him all the more attractive for not letting it make him any less of a decent human being. I will always remember the look of relief on his face and how glad he'd been when I told him that it made no difference to me."

Tonks sighed and lit another cigarette with a flick of her wand. Taking a drag and slowly exhaling the smoke she smiled sadly at Hermione before continuing. "I didn't know it then, but I was falling for him very quickly. His kind nature, his Marauder sense of humour, his passion for Harry's safety… all of it called to me, it attracted me so very much. I could tell he was very interested in me as well but he seemed hesitant."

"When Dumbledore moved us here, we spent every day together, living here. When I wasn't on duty I was with him, just hanging out together or doing daily chores or going out. I took him to my parents and they loved him instantly, he was so polite and kind and mum said he was such a gentleman. He had a lot in common with dad and they talked for an hour in his study and came out like the best of friends. Then on the day before you two came here, I told him. I cornered him in his room and let my heart out. I told him how quickly I was falling for him, how much I had loved him already and how I wanted nothing else but be with him. He reeled back in shock and started looking extremely sad. He told me he felt strongly for me too and then apologized for allowing me to fall for him. Told me that he wasn't right or good enough for me. That he was old, piss poor and a restricted magical creature on top of that and that he couldn't live with the knowledge of putting me in such danger. I screamed at him to stop being so thick and daft and to stop pushing me away if he loved me too. He didn't listen."

Hermione could see the tears flow from Tonks eyes and quickly pulled the other woman into a hug. Tonks sobbed but continued. "I love him, Hermione! So very much but he won't accept it! He knows damn well I don't care about anything like money or that he's older than me and he told me he loved me too but he won't be together with me! What can I do? How can I live here knowing that all I want is so close yet so far away?" Tonks choked through her sobs, clutching to the younger girl and letting her tears stain Hermione's shirt.

The brunette soothingly patted Tonks back and spoke gently, "I don't know what you could do Tonks, but you cannot let yourself give up! Don't give up on him, I am sure he will come around, one way or another. Stay strong and stay close to him. Don't let him push you away or you'll drift apart as each of you cry in your misery! You're one of the strongest women I've ever met Tonks and I'm sure you'll get through this one too. If you can't go a day without thinking about Remus then I'm sure the same goes for him, true lovers can't stay apart. It'll all work out, I'm sure."

Tonks calmed and separated herself from Hermione. "Thank you Hermione, I needed to hear that." She said quietly as she wiped the tears off her eyes. "Sorry about making your shirt wet."

Hermione shrugged it off and placed her hand on Tonks' arm. "Do you need anything? Can I get you anything from the kitchen?"

Tonks shook her head. "Alright, well I'm gonna go see what Harry's up to. You gonna be okay out here for a while?" This time Tonks nodded and Hermione walked back into the house.

Not wanting to look for Harry, she called Dobby and asked him where Harry was currently. The zealous elf directed her to the drawing room on the floor her bedroom was. Hermione found Harry polishing his wand with a kit someone must've given him as a present at some point. He smiled at her when she entered the room. Instinctively snuggling into his side as she took his arm, Hermione told him of the things Tonks had said to her and Harry grew rather pensive.

"Hmm," he thought aloud, "I think I'm going to have a good man-to-man talk with Remus when he recovers. Now if you'll excuse me, I am going to go to Tonks and distract her a little. Feel free to use my things and clean your own wand, apparently it's crucial to keep it free of grime and dust."

* * *

Harry made a trip to the kitchen before joining Tonks on the balcony with two cups of hot chocolate. He handed one to her and stood in the same spot Hermione had stood. "I hear you're having a rough night." He started.

Tonks only nodded. Harry thought for a while and asked, "How about I share with you something I haven't told anyone about? A piece of my own misery that plagued me for a while, to distract you from your problems?"

The Auror contemplated the offer for a second and nodded. Harry took a deep breath and took a sip from his cup before starting. "When I saw Sirius fall through the veil, I broke free from Remus' grasp and chased Bellatrix down the foyer of the ministry. She was running, singing to herself that she had killed Sirius. I was so angry. Furious. I saw red. When I saw the look on her face as she sung about Sirius I snapped." Harry took a deep breath, "I lifted my wand and cast the Cruciatus Curse on her. That certainly shut the bitch up. She looked surprised and fearful for a second as her body convulsed on the ground."

That made Tonks eyes grow wide as she looked at Harry, her own problems forgotten for a while. Harry saw her expression and gave a grim smile. "But I couldn't cast the Curse properly. I was angry, yes, but I didn't hate her enough then. I didn't want to inflict pain onto her, I just wanted to let my anger out. With Voldemort pounding at my mental door every night I had just been so… so very angry the whole year and that was the final straw. But I didn't have enough hate in me to hurt her for more than the instant the spell hit her. I think if I tried to cast it on her now it'd be different, I've come to truly despise her after all her actions. My magic wasn't as powerful then because I was blaming myself for Sirius' death, I was already falling apart."

Harry finished his story with a sigh and finished his cup of coca. Tonks put her arm around Harry's shoulder and pulled him into a one-armed hug. "It's not your fault Sirius died, Harry. I blame myself too, you know. If I had managed to disable or even kill Bella she would've never even gotten up there to kill Sirius in the first place. If anyone should be feeling bad, it's me."

Shaking his head, Harry gave her a sad smile. "You can't blame yourself for that. I'm sure if we go down that road, Neville will blame himself for not stunning her if he had an opportunity and so on. I guess we can't blame ourselves for Sirius' death, but we can blame Bella and Tom for killing him."

Tonks nodded and agreed. "Yes, we can do that." Letting go of him she spoke, "You're a good guy Harry, don't blame yourself for the actions of others. You can't save everyone. I am sure that Sirius wouldn't have wanted to go out any other way. Not many people get to die doing something they love in this world and he got to meet his end saving what meant the most to him – his godson. You will get to pay Bellatrix back sooner than later with the way things are going and we need to start preparing you for it. Thanks for talking to me, I'm gonna go sleep. See you at breakfast, okay?"

Taking in her words, he mutely nodded. Getting that story off his chest felt oddly cleansing, and he contemplated Tonks' words about not blaming himself for Sirius' death. He was starting to feel better, living with Tonks, Remus and Hermione was doing wonders and they were really good at making him see the lighter side of things.

Leaning on the balcony's barrier he looked up the stars. _'What would you say to me right now, Padfoot? Would you want me to avenge you? Would you yell at me to get over you and not sulk around any longer? Would you tell me to move on and live life like you'd have in your stead? I hope you're with mum and dad and all your friends who died to Voldemort.'_

His thoughts were interrupted as he felt two slim arms close around his waist and a head rest against his back. The presence of Hermione was oddly comforting and he allowed himself a small smile.

"What do you think Padfoot would have wanted me to do this summer, 'Mione?" He asked quietly.

Thinking for a second, she replied softly, "He would've wanted you to not cry over him. Sirius would have wanted you to be happy and enjoy yourself, perhaps be happy for him that he's now reunited with his old friends. Knowing him he'd want you to live life to the fullest and do things he'd have enjoyed in his stead."

Blinking away the tear that was forming in his eye, Harry looked at the starry sky again. _'Well there I have my answer, Sirius. I'll always miss you and one day we'll get to spend all the time together that we never got to have. You said that we'd be a proper family when all of this is over, so I'll hold you to that when I defeat Voldemort and then join you. I hope you can one day say you're proud to have been my godfather when all of this is over.'_

* * *

Hermione could feel Harry's emotional state and vulnerability and had led him back to the drawing room. They were already in almost identical attire to the night before and she quietly led him to the couch. The blanket was still there, but this time she wrapped her arms around his waist and spooned him so he could fall asleep in the comfort of her arms. Pulling the blanket over them she gently kissed his cheek and said she'd be there for him to keep him safe.

* * *

Dumbledore arrived Thursday morning just as Harry, Hermione and Tonks finished their breakfast. He accepted a cup of coffee from Dobby and took a seat.

"Well Mister Potter and Miss Granger, as I've told you before, it is time to start preparing for the war. Knowing of Mister Potter's ability to attract trouble, I have no doubt that the two of you will be in the thick of it." Dumbledore opened after greeting the three of them, sparkle in his eyes shining brightly. "Given that we have a lot of time before the start of the school year, I have taken the liberty of throwing together a general schedule for the two of you."

Harry and Hermione nodded with rapt attention. "I have taken into consideration the talents of all the people living here," Dumbledore continued, nodding towards Tonks, "and have thus left quite a lot of open time in your schedule to study on your own order under the guidance of Miss Granger here, who I am sure already has plans. I would like you to meet with myself or Alastor Moody on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. On those days we'll meet here after breakfast and train until lunch. We will give you a break to eat a meal prepared by Dobby and then train until around six in the afternoon after which you may do as you please. So if we set around 8am each day for breakfast and 1pm for lunch and finish at 6pm, you're looking at around ten hours of study on those days. Alastor and I will normally alternate each day, sometimes one of us might take all three or two of the three days in a week, depending on our schedules. If we are both busy I will arrange for replacements, I am sure Minerva or Filius would be delighted to teach you during the day."

Albus smiled as Hermione had already taken pen to paper and took down a few notes. His eyes saw she had drawn a diagram of a week from Monday to Friday and had already allocated activities to time slots.

"Wednesdays, Fridays and the weekend are to be filled however you see fit. I have a list of recommended topics you should study and practise in your own time and of course you can have Remus and Tonks teach you whatever they agree to. After all, Tonks is a qualified Auror who has been in battle numerous times and Remus is qualified to teach Defence against the Dark Arts at Hogwarts. As you know he was quite a trouble maker in his time at Hogwarts and is quite talented in other areas of magic as well. Do not forget that all magic can be useful in combat depending on the situation."

Hermione noted a few more things on her piece of paper. Knowing what the next question would be, Dumbledore answered in advance, "I would be happy to provide any books you cannot acquire at Flourish and Blotts. The Hogwarts Library and my personal one do hold quite a few tomes that have not seen the light of retail for many years."

Smiling at his foresight Hermione handed the schedule and list to Harry who read over it and nodded.

"Sounds great Professor, there are quite a few topics Hermione and I would prioritize in our free time. I need to improve my Occlumency shields and it would be a useful thing for Hermione to learn." Harry said and looked at Hermione. She nodded in agreement.

"Yes, that is a very useful skill to have. I would be happy to test your defences whenever you should wish me to do so."

Dumbledore looked at his watch and nodded. "This schedule will start from next week. For today I have a different activity planned. If you could please get dressed in something more appropriate for the outside, I shall apparate you with me to our intended location."

* * *

Wearing Jeans and shirts, Harry and Hermione found themselves near the Great Lake at Hogwarts as they let go off the Professor's arm.

"Hogwarts, sir?" Hermione inquired.

Dumbledore nodded pensively and with a wave of his hand transfigured some branches at the lake into wooden stumps for them to sit on. He reached into his robe and pulled out the locket they had given him two days ago.

Harry took in a sharp breath but didn't react otherwise. His scar only tingled and didn't make him want to cry out in pain this time. The Headmaster noted this and nodded.

"I have managed to dampen the magical aura it emits by placing a complex layer of wards over it. At least now it doesn't hurt Harry when it's nearby." He explained and conjured another log to place the locket on.

A moment later, Hermione asked, "Have you identified what it is, sir?"

Dumbledore nodded thoughtfully before letting out a small sigh. "This is the locket of Salazhar Slytherin."

Hermione reeled back in surprise. Smiling at her reaction, Dumbledore nodded, "I see you recognise its historical value, Miss Granger, well done. I think the value of it is quite obvious to you Harry, with it being a Founder's possession."

Harry nodded. It must've been incredibly valuable, but that didn't explain why it made his scar hurt. He raised this point with Dumbledore who turned to look over the lake in thought.

"I've contemplated on this issue for several hours until I made the decision to tell you two all I can about the locket and why it made Harry's scar hurt. The last time we withheld information from Harry we lost one of our own and came close to losing more. What I am about to reveal to you is extremely vital information in the fight against Voldemort that you must not, under any circumstances, tell to anyone else. For now this has to include Remus and Tonks and the Weasleys, understood?" He explained seriously and locked eyes with both of them for a moment. They both wore serious expressions and nodded.

"Have you ever heard of the word "Horcrux" Miss Granger?"

After thinking for a moment, Hermione shook her head. "No, doesn't ring a bell. Is it something I am supposed to know about?"

Dumbledore gravely shook his head. "I'd be affronted if you knew of the term. A Horcrux is an item of the darkest possible magic. It is vile, evil magic that is also very complex and difficult to perform. To illustrate it as simply as possible, a Horcrux is a soul container."

Hermione gasped, her mind analysing the possible implications of such an object. Harry looked quite helpless.

"Soul magic is not to be taken lightly, and this one is no different." Albus continued, now looking at Harry, "The locket is one such object. It is a soul container and as you may have suspected by now, it holds a piece of Voldemort's soul."

This Harry understood as his green eyes shifted to the locket. "What makes a Horcrux such vile magic is the process one has to undergo to create one. One has to split his soul in order for this to be possible. As you may know, one does not simply split a soul. It is not something you decide to do over dinner, no, far from it. In order to split one's own soul, one must commit the most heinous of crimes – cold-blooded murder. After murdering someone your soul will be shaken enough for a short time frame in which one is capable of splitting it with the correct magical rituals, and eventually allows for the transfer of the split part to an object, in this case, this locket." Dumbledore continued his face a grim mask.

"Now Harry, you have made contact with one such object already."

Harry thought for a while before his eyes widened in recognition. "The Diary in second year? The one that possessed Ginny?"

The Headmaster nodded gravely. "Correct. When you brought the diary to me and explained what had happened in the Chamber, I started getting suspicious as I wondered how Voldemort had managed to survive to make his appearance in your first year. The Diary gave me the initial idea that Voldemort had split his soul but now I have definite proof, thanks to Dobby and you two."

"If the Diary was one and that locket is one too… Does that also confirm that he has possibly made more than just those two?" Hermione asked concerned.

"Sharp as ever, Miss Granger. Yes, this implies that there could be more than two. How many though, I do not know, yet I fear there are more than just these two. From what I can gather, making a single one already significantly destabilizes one's soul, often leading to insanity or even outright death. However, Voldemort is obsessed with immortality. I am almost certain that he would've made more than two." Dumbledore agreed, stroking his beard slowly. "Harry, this is how Voldemort managed to survive the rebounding Killing Curse when he tried to kill you as a baby. As long as these items anchor him to this world, we can destroy his body as many times as we like but he will never be truly defeated."

Harry nodded grimly. Another hurdle had just been set in his way. "So first we need to figure out what the items are, where he hid them, find them and destroy them? And we don't even know how many he's made?"

The aged wizard inclined his head slightly. "Indeed, and the prospects do look quite grim. But there are several hints and clues we can act upon, and Voldemort isn't nearly as unpredictable and mysterious as he'd like to think. We shall discuss this further, but for now, I have called you here because I will need your assistance in destroying this Horcrux. This locket is laden with protections and layers of magic that I cannot hope to even break before the year is done. After researching the items of the Founders and Slytherin himself, I've come to the conclusion that the only way to destroy the locket is to open it and then obliterate the object with a strong magical power such as the Basilisk Venom Harry used to destroy the Diary with, or perhaps with the Sword of Gryffindor. I have called you here because only Harry can open the locket as he is a Parseltongue."

As Dumbledore explained, he got up from the wooden stump he sat on and raised his hand to the sky. After a moment, Fawkes flashed into existence, carrying the Sword of Gryffindor. His master took the sheathed blade from him and the magnificent creature landed on Hermione's shoulder and trilled in greeting.

"Now, the plan is as follows, please listen carefully," The Headmaster began, "Harry will command the locket to open. I have a fair idea of what to expect given the enchantments on the locket and my duty will be to protect the two of you as it will undoubtedly attempt to lash out at the two of you and harm you. Miss Granger, it will be your duty to take the Sword of Gryffindor and strike at the locket with all your might and destroy it."

Hermione looked the most surprised. She had expected Harry to be the one to destroy it, maybe Dumbledore. "M-Me?" She asked hesitantly.

Her Headmaster nodded seriously. "W-What if I'm not strong enough? What if the Sword rejects me, what if-"

Harry interrupted her by placing his hand on hers. "Hermione, both Professor Dumbledore and myself have absolute faith in your ability. We need you for this and I know you will do fine. The Sword will respond to you as it did for me, trust me. After all, every true Gryffindor will be able to call upon it in need, yes?"

Seeing Harry's resolute eyes and her Headmaster's determined expression she hesitantly took the blade from his hands. It was lighter than she had expected it to be and the hilt felt surprisingly warm in her hands. Harry stood and whispered into her ear, "I trust you with my life 'Mione, don't be afraid. You'll do fine; after all you protect me every time, yeah? This is no different."

She took a deep breath and nodded at his words. Dumbledore drew his wand and banished their seats. He spread his feet to be his shoulder width and took a stance that conveyed his readiness. Hermione tightened her grip on the sword. _'I will not let them down, Harry's life is on the line here!'_

"_Open!" _Harry forcefully hissed at the locket.

For a moment, nothing happened. Then the locket snapped open and a black mass emerged from it several meters into the air, cooling the air around them like Dementors did. A dark tendril shot out and lashed at Hermione but was blocked by a white barrier from Dumbledore.

"Hermione Jean Granger, I know your deepest fears and darkest secrets. You fear he doesn't love you, that you aren't good enough for him and that he will toss you aside once he gets bored of you and-" A menacing voice boomed but was interrupted by Harry.

"Don't listen to it, Hermione, it's lying! It's playing with your mind! Don't listen to it, listen to me! Do it 'Mione, DO IT!" Harry yelled at her and she snapped out of her daze. Seeing Dumbledore struggle against the power she raised the sword over head with a determined glint.

Fawkes' melody penetrated the ominous rumbling originating from the locket and Hermione felt empowered. _'Those lies can't harm me!'_

She brought the blade down towards the locket and for an instant she saw everything in slow motion. The way the blade sparkled as it swished through the air toward the locket. The way the locket vibrated but didn't move. The way Dumbledore's wand forced it into place with a stream of red sparks. The way Harry's piercing emerald gaze was locked on her face, worry etched into his features.

For a moment, Hermione heard a melodic voice in her head. _"You are a true Gryffindor, child. The wielder has chosen well."_

As everything went back into normal speed, the blade of the sword impacted on the locket and it exploded into thousands of shards with an ear-shattering scream.

And then it was over. The locket was destroyed.

Hermione collapsed to her knees and dropped the sword from her limp hand. She felt Fawkes land on her shaking shoulder, trilling a soft tune into her ear. Harry rushed over to her and instantly pulled her into a hug.

She saw that Dumbledore looked exhausted. "Well done Miss Granger, exceptionally done. That locket possessed truly powerful magic and was not an easy feat to subdue. As we saw, it uses a form of fast-hitting Legilimency to read your worst fears and reinforce them to unbalance you. Should that happen it can take complete control over your mind."

Nodding in understanding, Dumbledore told them they should retire to his office for a drink.

* * *

Hermione woke up once more cuddled into Harry's chest on Friday morning. Despite the mere moments it had taken to destroy the locket it had left all three of them exhausted and they had spent the rest of their lounging about before going to bed early. When Tonks had asked what they had been up to the two only shook their heads and told her to not ask.

Harry found himself in his room on Friday afternoon as Hermione and Tonks were in the kitchen discussing something about potions. Harry had opted to spend some time with Hedwig who he'd been neglecting recently. Hedwig basked in the attention and made sure to let him she liked his ministrations.

He lay down on his bed and stared at his ceiling. His thoughts were revolving around Hermione. It had become obvious that the two of them had moved past being best friends to something more, but neither knew exactly what that was. _'Not that I'm complaining,' _He thought to himself, _'I'm really liking this Hermione and the way we act around each other. She is so much fun and the time we spend together is amazing. She's smart, intelligent, loyal… beautiful, pretty, and breathtaking. She's just so… Hermione.'_

His eyes wandered around his room as his mind moved at a hundred kilometres per second. _'Is… is this what it feels like to fall in love with someone? Am I falling in love with Hermione? How do I know? What am I meant to compare this to? Who do I ask? Do I tell her? Do I wait for her to say something? And what about the prophecy? How do I tell her that one? Will she still want to be this close to me knowing about it?'_

Wanting to slap himself for even thinking that, he said to himself, "Of course she won't care about it, it's Hermione after all. If anything she'll be more determined to get us more and more prepared for the battles that are sure to come."

After a while he muttered to himself, needing to hear it, "Well one thing's for sure, you're attracted to her like a moth to fire, Potter. And she probably is to me too; otherwise she wouldn't be sleeping with me, would she? Gah… this is all so complicated! I'm just gonna go with what feels right, these instincts have never been wrong so far…" Harry decided.

He enjoyed spending his nights with Hermione and waking up to her cuddled into him was the best thing he'd ever experienced. He hadn't had a single nightmare since they had started sleeping like that and it was a luxury he'd never want to let go of if the choice was his.

* * *

Remus recovered by Saturday and came down to breakfast energetic and happy. Harry and Hermione brought him up to speed on what they'd been up to.

Now that Tonks had told them what had happened between her and the werewolf, the tension between them was obvious even to Harry. Even though the two sat opposite each other, their eyes were normally on their breakfast, the newspaper or on Harry and Hermione but they never each other.

The day passed rather uneventfully, only Tonks went to the Auror HQ for a few hours.

As night time approached after dinner with Remus, Harry and Hermione sat in the Living Room, each reading a book. Harry's was on Occlumency, Hermione's was on advanced Human Transfiguration. After a while, Harry slammed his book shut and stormed out of the room, muttering something along the lines of being back soon.

Hermione looked puzzled but shrugged, it didn't seem very serious and Harry didn't seem upset, she could ask him what was wrong when he came back.

Harry found Remus in Buckbeak's room. The Hippogriff seemed to be out flying and Remus stood at the bedside table, looking at the same picture Harry had two days earlier.

"Hey Harry." Remus greeted, all he got in return was a curt nod.

"Remus, what is love?" Harry asked straight away, walking up next to Remus.

The question had taken Remus off guard. "Love? You mean what it means to be in love with someone?"

Again, all he got in return was a nod. "Well… I'm not entirely sure, Harry, and I'm sure that it's a bit different for everyone, all I can offer is my interpretation." Seeing Harry only stare at him with an unreadable expression, he continued, "To me being in love means that you can't go a single day, maybe not even a single moment, without thinking about who you're in love with. It's when you place their happiness over your own and seeing them happy makes you happy, no matter what it might mean for yourself. To me being in love is being willing to sacrifice yourself for them, willing to drop anything at a moment's notice to be there for them. Being in love with someone means getting to know them inside out, accepting the positives and negatives unconditionally. That's what it means to be in love to me. Why do you ask?"

Harry remained silent for a second. "Is there someone you'd do all that for, Remus?" He asked, his voice sharp. His brows were narrowed, his eyes seemed to be sharper and more piercing than usual. It unnerved Remus quite a bit and he was becoming weary. This was quite unlike Harry.

"What?"

"You heard me. Answer the question. Yes or no." Harry pressed on.

After a second Remus sighed. "Yes, there is." Was his answer as he looked away from the boy he lived with.

"Is it Tonks?" Harry asked outright, deciding to pull no punches.

Remus' eyes widened in surprise as he stared at the boy, no, young man, in front of him. Not wanting to lie to him, he hesitantly nodded.

Whack! Remus hadn't seen that one coming. Normally he prized himself on his reflexes but that one had completely caught him off guard. Harry had buried his clenched fist in Remus' stomach, causing the werewolf to bend over and cough.

Smack! Another one, right across the jaw as he raised his head. He held his face and his mind reeled in shock at the events that were unfolding here.

Before he could react, Harry grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and pulled him up to his eye-level before slamming the older man into the closest wall, rattling the paintings on it. If Remus was quite honest with himself, he was afraid. Harry looked positively frightening and Remus couldn't fight back – how would he justify hitting the boy? There seemed to be a blue aura swirling around Harry's feet, in tune with the boy's emotions.

His eyes were stormy pools of green that stared right into Remus' soul as he was crushed against the wall by Harry's arms.

"You admit that you're in love with her and you _fucking know_ that she feels just as strongly for you and you _dare, _Remus, you fucking _dare_ push her away?" Harry's voice was ice cold, calmness hiding the rage behind it. The wolf inside Remus curled up and whimpered; Harry's blows hurt both physically as well as emotionally.

Harry didn't give Remus a chance to justify himself. "She told us Remus, she cried her heart out to Hermione." Here Harry moved closer so that their faces were mere centimetres away from another, "She said all those things you said were parts of being in love with someone. All she wants is to be with you, to hold you when you're aching from your transformation, when you're down. There's nothing more important to her than knowing you're well and happy. She's willing to drop out of her job if it means to be with you! Tonks accepts the good and bad of you without hesitation, including your sickness! She's willing to sacrifice anything for you and she can't go a fucking _hour _without thinking about you! And you told her you feel the same way but don't allow her close to you! What the fuck is wrong with you Lupin?"

Harry used both hands to grab Remus' shirt and violently threw him to the ground as hard as he could. Remus landed on his back and coughed as he raised himself on his elbows. Harry stood over him, his eyes blazing with fury and his tone as hard as steel.

"None of your arguments are valid. You say you're piss poor? So what? Tonks doesn't give a shit about your money. My money is your money Remus, I thought we were supposed to be family. Don't give me some noble shit about you not wanting to be indebted to me. You say you're too old for her. Age is just a number, you don't see Dumbledore walking around saying he's too old to kick Death Eater arse. You say you're not good enough for her. Then who is? She won't fall for anyone else as long as you're live. Do you really think you'll ever find someone like her again? Someone who will love you unconditionally? You won't Remus, even if we all survive this _fucking_ war. You say you can't live with the knowledge of endangering her when you transform? Are you kidding me? The last time you transformed you couldn't even harm me, instead you ran away. With Wolfbane potion you're perfectly safe."

Harry went down on one knee next to him and his hand grabbed Remus' shirt again, tightly.

"What do you think my parents are thinking of you right now? What about Sirius? Tell me Remus, what would my mother say to you now, turning away from true love? What would my dad do knowing you're throwing away the best thing to ever happen to you in a decade? What would Sirius think if he found out you're sacrificing both your happiness for nothing, making his cousin unhappy? If my parents are anything like I imagined them to be, they would be so very disappointed in you. Sirius never even got to know what it is like to have something that you and Tonks share!"

Emphasising each point, Harry knocked his fist that still grabbed onto Remus' shirt into the werewolf's chest as he spoke.

"Sirius. Didn't. Get. To. Love. ANYONE LIKE THAT! That chance was taken away from him! And now you have the chance with no strings attached and you won't take it? How do you think Sirius would think of you? I'm telling you right now, Lupin, he'd sock you one so hard you'd pass out instantly."

Harry got up and turned his back to the man lying on the floor.

"From what you've told me, you owe my parents a whole lot. They knew they probably wouldn't survive the war but made the most of it and embraced their love. This is a disappointment to their memory and a disappointment to all they ever would've wanted you to do in their stead in your life. They're dead, Remus, Sirius is too. You're the only one alive and you want to condemn yourself to a life of misery and unhappiness because you can't get over your pathetic insecurities. You disgust me Remus. You dishonour all the Marauders ever were to you. Whatever you owe my parents and my godfather you now owe me and I swear to all that I love that you better not disappoint me too or you _will _regret it. Don't come apologizing to me for I am not the one who has to forgive you. Good night."

And with that, Harry stormed out of the room, leaving a weeping man behind, curled up on the floor.

Harry made a beeline for wherever Hermione was. He needed her. He felt like throwing up – he felt sick for what he did to Remus. What he needed now was for Hermione to cuddle with him so he could rest peacefully.

* * *

**A/N #2: Oh hey there. I decided to cut it off here, otherwise this would end up being another 20k word chapter and this felt like a good scene to end the chapter at. With the last chapter we hit over 150 reviews! I'm quite ecstatic! So many people left me kind words that made me smile. I replied to quite a few and am now involved in a few discussions regarding the Potterverse. I've had quite a few awesome guest reviews and it made me sad that I couldn't reply to them. Please, make an account and leave signed reviews! I enjoy talking to my readers, you guys are fucking awesome.**

**Next chapter we get the will reading at Gringotts and **_**finally**_** the Runic Affinity is revealed! This chapter here acted more like a filler bridge, which actually has a lot of content. Writing the Harry/Remus scene was exhilarating, I was almost panting after wards. What Remus did to Tonks when she got pregnant always annoyed me in the canon, so I decided to write this scene this way.**

**I'm really quite excited for the next chapter. There'll be quite a bit of development between Harry and Hermione, so all you fluffy fluff lovers, get ready for some uncomfortably tight pants. Or to you ladies, wet underwear.**

**Sorry for any typos, I made a few here and there I'm sure. Didn't read over this before posting it.**

**Leave a review if you feel like this chapter warrants one! Peace!**


	5. Of Inheritance, wealth and a discovery

**Harry Potter & The Runic Affinity.**

**Author's Ramblings #1: **Maybe one day we will see a chapter that is less than 10k words long, but IT IS NOT THIS DAY. So yeah, last chapter sparked some controversy as Harry takes his fists to Remus' stubbornness. The reason I made Harry punch him twice and throw him to the ground was so that Remus couldn't respond or escape the verbal lashing. In my opinion someone needed to literally knock some sense into him and Harry seemed like the only candidate to do it, given that no one's alive to do it for him.

What totally blew me away with the 4th chapter was that one of my wishes as a fanfic author had been fulfilled. If you look at my profile, I list a few authors that have been very inspirational to me over the years and that I hope one of them would maybe, one day, review one of my works. This happened last chapter. _**Robst**_ reviewed, which to me, is a tremendous honour – he is one of the best H/Hr authors and writers in general that I've ever come across, so if you have not read this work I highly recommend that you do.

And to answer _**alix33's **_questions, when you live in Australia for more than a year, you get used to the flipped seasons easily. I've been here for almost 4 years and walking around in T-Shirts and shorts around Christmas seems normal now.

* * *

**Chapter 5: Of Inheritance, wealth and a discovery.**

Sunday morning came sharp and bright and Harry found himself wearing elegant but simple black robes as he approached Gringotts Bank in Diagon Alley. Hermione stood at his right and held his arm in support, knowing that the will reading would probably be another emotional rollercoaster for him and his already strained mind.

Next to Hermione stood Tonks who was dressed in black too – apparently the family of the deceased wore black to such occasions and friends or acquaintances normally wore grey or another dark colour of their choosing. Remus stood next to Tonks. He had met them in the morning looking haggard and had refused to meet Harry's or Tonks' eyes in his worn grey robes. Hermione and Tonks had both insisted he wore black like Harry and Harry had nodded mutely in agreement.

Harry had only managed to sleep due to the comforts of Hermione. He had repeated to her word for word what he had said and done to Remus, whispering as his eyes were filled with tears. Hermione had comforted him and reassured him that he had done the right thing, even though she didn't entirely approve of his explosively violent approach. She knew he didn't need someone to tell him whether it had been wrong or right for he had judged his own actions himself, he needed someone to accept his decision and be there for him.

The four stepped through the door and were met by Griphook. After exchanging pleasantries he led them to a room past Ragnok's office. It was large and reminded Hermione of a smaller version of a muggle court room. There was a little podium, several rows of seats which were separated by a walkway and a little desk at the side where two Goblins sat that looked like scribes.

Ragnok stood at the podium and nodded in greeting. The four returned the greeting and Griphook led them one of the front rows before returning back to the doors to lead others in. The four appeared to be the first ones to arrive. Dumbledore entered shortly and nodded respectfully to the four before taking seat in the other bench of the front row.

Over the next few minutes more and more people entered the room. The Weasleys were there too – Molly, Arthur, Ron, Ginny and the twins. They were seated a row behind Dumbledore, on the other side of the room that Harry found himself. Waves were exchanged in greeting. To the surprise of Tonks she saw her parents enter. Andromeda was quite shocked to see her daughter sit in the front row and quickly led her husband, Ted, to sit in the row behind Tonks and her companions.

The next arrival surprised Harry substantially – Draco Malfoy and his mother, Narcissa, walked through the door. They stiffly nodded to everyone present and took a seat several rows behind the Weasleys. The usual superior sneer was absent from Draco's face and he looked highly contemplative; his mother's expression was entirely unreadable as well.

As Harry thought everyone had arrived, the last arrival walked through the door to the surprise of anyone who had known Sirius. Severus Snape quietly entered the room. His face was blank and devoid of any emotion which to Harry indicated he was just as surprised to be in attendance as anyone else here. A glance to right confirmed that Dumbledore's eyes were twinkling merrily; he had probably anticipated something unusual to occur during the reading.

Griphook closed the door to the room and the edges of the door glowed for a moment. His ear picked up Hermione mumbling something about privacy and security spells and Harry turned back to face the front as Ragnok cleared this throat and all conversation stopped.

"Good morning, wizards and witches. I am Ragnok, Head of Gringotts Bank. I will today lead the procedure of reading the will of the recently deceased Sirius Black III, as it had been organised prior to his passing. My most sincere condolences go out to all in attendance, I can vouch that he was a good man." Ragnok began, gesturing to all the human folk. The scribes at the side were quietly transcribing the entire event.

With a snap of his fingers, a scroll of parchment appeared out of thin air and Ragnok gently took hold of it. "This Will has been verified and accepted by me on behalf of Gringotts. It has been filed and accepted by the ministry too. If anyone wishes to challenge the validity or authenticity of this will they will have to make a formal inquiry to the Ministry of Magic. I am sure Supreme Mugwump Albus Dumbledore would be happy to assist should you find yourself willing to do so. For today, this version of the Will is the one accepted by Gringotts and will, as such, be treated as the legitimate will of Sirius Black. Shall it be of importance to anyone, Lord Black submitted this copy to us a mere week before his passing and he had been updating it monthly since his escape from Azkaban. Let the reading commence."

Ragnok opened the scroll and waved his hand at it while whispering something Harry couldn't quite pick up. The scroll of parchment suddenly came to life and floated above the table on the podium. Emitting from the parchment, a voice filled the room – a voice that made Harry's eyes widen.

"I, Sirius Orion Black III, being of sound mind and body, hereby declare this to be my official last testament, to be opened and read to the following people upon the event of my untimely passing…"

Harry's mind blanked for a second. Sirius had arranged his will so that it was his own voice speaking. He mentally composed himself and took a deep breath. He would not cry. Not today, not in front of all these people. As Sirius' voice listed the people to be in attendance of the reading, Harry could feel Hermione take his hand and turned his head to see her give him a small reassuring smile. He nodded and took another deep breath before tuning back in to hear what his late godfather had to say.

"Hello everyone! Well, it seems like I am dead. Perhaps it's better that way, I mean, it certainly seems like a better fate than being stuck in here all day at Grimmauld Place with nothing but a feathery companion. I mean, I'm on borrowed time anyway. No one _really _survives 12 years of Azkaban, and I won't be the exception. All the energy that has driven me this far comes from knowing that you, Harry, are alive and well and that everything I am doing is contributing towards your wellbeing. So in that regard, being alive isn't such a bad lot, I guess." Sirius' voice spoke jovially and Harry truly had to fight the tears that wanted to be let out.

"Now I bet you're all sad and want to cry. Don't! I hate it when people cry, especially over me. I hope I went out like a true man, maybe I died protecting or rescuing Harry, maybe I died fighting Death Eater scum, maybe I died completing a vital mission for Dumbledore – who knows, I certainly won't. I just hope I didn't slip on the soap in the shower and broke my neck or something silly like that." Most of the people in the room chuckled a little at Sirius' ramblings.

"Well now, onto more Sirius matters – heh, see what I did there? I bet Remus is cringing now, aren't you, you old flea bag? If there's one thing I want to thank my bitch of a mother for, it's for giving me this name. The puns I've made all my life with it were of truly epic proportions. But, I digress. I'm getting off track again. This is a legal document after all; let me treat it like one. Boobs. Yes, I said it. Boobs. But I am dead. So there's nothing you can do to stop me and you have to listen anyway." Harry managed to grin widely at Sirius last recorded joke.

"Now, for starters. Time to make some amends and decisions as Lord Black for the final time. To Cissy, hey don't look like that, I'm dead remember? To Narcissa Black I leave behind a separate vault filled with 10,000 Galleons that is only accessible by her and only her. This includes any of her kin or other relation. If Cissy's dead at the time of this reading, then the money shall be donated to Hogwarts for some new brooms. Cissy, I leave you this money and made it so only you can access it for a reason. I have done a bit of digging around and found that this is the amount of money the Black Family would have to pay the Malfoy Family in the case of a marriage being abandoned. I don't know how far down the track you've gone with your husband's pureblood mania bullshit, but should you find yourself wanting to divorce good old Lucy, money won't be the issue. I also offer you to be reinstated into the Black Family should you end up divorcing him. Should you choose to do so, it will be up to your son to follow you or not – should he choose to follow you it will be up to the next Lord Black whether he will be allowed to continue living his life as a Black or not. I sincerely hope you consider the offer and if not, at least you got some spending money out of me kickin' the bucket, eh? I will try and remember you by the little blonde girl I grew up with, not the wife of a Death Eater that follows a maniac around like a little lost puppy. Trust me Cissy, if the war isn't over by now, it will be soon, and Voldemort _will_ be defeated, of that I have very little doubt. Have a good life Cissy, take it easy and enjoy yourself once in a while."

Harry turned around to gauge Narcissa's reaction and was quite surprised at what he saw. Her unreadable mask had cracked and her eyes were suspiciously wet and she had raised a hand to her mouth at Sirus' last few statements. What surprised Harry even more was Draco's reaction, who wore a look of concern instead of an aristocratic mask of arrogance as he gently pat his mother on the shoulder.

Hearing Sirius speak again he turned back to the front, contemplating their reactions.

"Next on the list is good old Dromeda! Haha, you always hated that name, didn't you Andy? Well just like Cissy, you can't do anything to me – I'm dead! As it is my right as Lord Sirius Black, I hereby officially reinstate you, Andromeda Tonks, into the House of Black. Err, well, I actually can't really do that since you're not here in person and I doubt I'll get to see you before I die. But I am sure that the next Lord Black will have no problem making it official, just like the offer I made to Cissy. Knowing who the next Lord Black will be I am comfortable making these offers for I know he will honour my wishes and follow them up. I remember the good fun we used to have when we were children Andy, it all seems so long ago now. You mentioned once that I was your inspiration for running away from our family and I say you made the right choice to run away to get married to Ted. He's a good bloke and would you look at what you've two have produced: Nymphadora! A wonderful girl if I do say so myself, definitely my type if I wasn't related to her. Eww. Actually, in hindsight, let us not follow that train of thought. I'm just messing around. Hello by the way, Ted and Nymphadora. Please take care of them for me Ted, like you always have. Anyway, where was I. Right, yes. Whether you accept the offer of becoming a part of the Black Family again or not, I want to leave you some money so you and Ted can take some time off! Maybe get out of England while you still can. I have instructed Ragnok to prepare a vault filled with two million Galleons. That should be enough to have some fun with I think! I really hope you'll consider my offer of being a Black again, even if it's only a formality. Sometimes I just wish everything was back like it was when we were all at Hogwarts, when you were still family to your two sisters. Maybe this is why I'm making these offers to you and Cissy, who knows. Live a joyous life, Andy, I'll miss you."

Harry didn't need to turn around to know how Tonks' mother was reacting – the sob followed by soft crying was all Harry needed to hear. He looked to his right to see Tonks' eyes filled with tears as well and gave her a sad smile. She smiled back and pulled Harry into a one-armed hug.

Sirius voice cleared its throat. "Right, well, since we're already going down the family tree, might as well get to Nymphie next. God you must hate me right now for using your full name so many times, eh Nymphadora? Geez, what is it with this family, all of us have terrible names. I bet your mother named you that so she wouldn't be the only one on the Tonks Family tree with such a bad name. Heh. Since I know you're not struggling financially since you're an Auror and get all sorts of benefits, I'm just gonna leave you some money so you can go on a holiday or go on a shopping spree, okay? Gringotts will deposit a mil' into your account right as I read this. And since I'm dead you can't complain or give it back. Since I know the muggle woman inside of you can't resist the urge to go on a shopping spree in London, go spoil yourself a little, okay? Get some nice presents for Remus for Christmas and please get something nice for Harry too if you could. Since I can't I'm gonna leave it to you to do so. Your efforts in this war against the Dark Lord have been very risky and I can't think of another way of thanking you for everything you've done to keep Harry safe. I hope you make it through all this unscathed Nymphie. Oh and before I forget, maybe you need to kick our little resident wolf up the backside a little, he's a little dense when it comes to things right under his nose. I'll miss you a lot Nymphie, stay safe."

Tonks choked up and tears slowly rolled down her face as she mutely nodded at the talking parchment. She'd definitely get Remus and Harry some nice presents for their birthdays.

"Well if we've already mentioned him, we might as well get straight to him next! Remus, Moony, my brother in all but blood. If you're alive to hear this then you're the only remaining Marauder and it is now your duty to go on where Prongs and I have failed and look after the next generation. I am very happy that I've gotten to spend a lot of time with you since my escape out of Azkaban, being with my last remaining brother has mended many wounds as I am sure it has for you too. Try and not be too upset at my passing, just imagine Prongs laughing at us being such sentimental fools. Then again you were always the softest out of all of us, weren't you Moony? Well if there's one thing I don't regret in my life, it's having met you and James. I will never forget the moment after the first time Prongs and I ran with you, the look on your face touched me back then and will forever be with me as one of the most moving memories, even in my death. I don't have much more to say to you, for you know it all already. Given your affliction I know you've always struggled on the money side and you hated charity and never wanted to accept anyone's help or money. But now you don't have a choice because quite frankly Moony, I am dead. Gringotts is setting up an account of 10 million Galleons for you. I don't want my brother running around in rags for the rest of his life, nor do I want you to not be able to afford certain ingredients for you-know-what. Get yourself some nice clothes brother, get yourself a decent place to live to suit your needs. I hope that by this point you've embraced and accepted what you want and if nothing's changed then she's probably sitting next to you right now. I hope I don't have to beat you senseless for you to realize it and if I don't do so before I die I'm sure someone else will eventually. Live on for me and do what I can't do anymore – protect Harry. Goodbye, old friend. One day you will join Lily, Prongs and myself and we'll crack open a bottle of Ogden's Finest and talk about old times. Until then I hope you populate this world with a few little Lupins and honour the Marauder name and what we stood for. Until then, brother."

Remus was openly shedding tears too as Harry had let Tonks go so she could pull him into her as he shed tears for his fallen brother. Remus did he best to not fully break down – Sirius' last words to him and driven home the points Harry had made the night before.

Sirius seemed to ponder for a second before he continued. "Hmm, well I bet this'll come as a surprise to many but the next person I'd like to address is none other than Severus Snape. I don't have much to say to you Severus, except that I am sorry. I've spent a lot of time in isolation and know now that my actions towards you in the past have been unjust and unacceptable. Harry, if you're there too, please do not repeat my mistakes of hating someone unreasonably. I do not wish to set a bad example, so I'm here, trying to apologise for my faults. I once unnecessarily endangered Severus' life and I deeply regret it even now. I have set up a vault containing many valuable and rare potion ingredients that belonged to the Black Family that I found very little use for, please accept it as a token of apology, Severus. I will, now, for the last time ever, take the honour of calling you Snivellous. Haha. Well, good bye, my old nemesis."

Everyone listened with rapt attention and Snape looked oddly moved as he sat stiffly and nodded, not meeting anyone's eye.

"Right, well onto the next one. Albus Dumbledore! While we've had our disagreements and such, you are still the pillar of light in the struggle against Voldemort. I know that you don't struggle financially, but please accept five million Galleons to be used as you see fit in the fight against him, whether you need to purchase supplies or else. You were a fantastic Headmaster to me when I was still a fickle student, always seeing the funny side to a prank or closing an eye here and there when we did something stupid or obvious. All I ask is that you protect Harry to the best of the ability and teach him what you can – don't withhold information from him Albus, we cannot keep going as we have so far, the consequences could be dire. Thank you for everything and I wish you the best of luck."

Dumbledore looked quite solemn at Sirius proclamation and looked his age, clearly remembering the pranks Sirius spoke of. It was quite ironic, really. Here Sirius speaks of the dire consequences that could come from keeping information from Harry.

"Now, to the Weasley Family! Arthur, Molly, I'd like to thank you for having kept Harry as safe as you could over the years and have accepted him like one of your own, I am sure you could not imagine how much it has helped him cope with everything in the past. I'm not really sure what to leave you since I know you hate charity and it'd be weird to leave money to someone who isn't family, no offence. You know, this is one of the things I've always admired you all for, being able to live life to the fullest regardless of money, able to pursue your dreams based entirely on your own merit. Look at Charlie and Bill, working their dream jobs only because they're the best at what they do. Money means little in this world I've realized thanks to you, it's good for getting things started but ultimately where you end up is entirely dependent on how hard you fought to get there. Look at the Twins, Gred and Forge – sure they had their anonymous benefactor to help them pay for the initial cost of renting the property but now they're respectable businessmen, earning valuable experience to help them in the long run. To you two I leave the Black Family's shares to the Zonko's franchise; it turns out that Zonko loaned money from my great-grandfather at some point to open his first shop and couldn't pay it back on time, so he paid in shares instead. I certainly don't need them and I doubt the new Lord Black will need them either, so they go to you. Maybe you'll be able to buy the Hogsmeade branch and turn it into one of your own, who knows. I wish the two of you the best of luck, and I give you two the greatest respect as a Marauder as you make people laugh in these dreary times and I heard you two ran some great pranks back in Hogwarts. My hat's off to you."

Fred and Geroge looked incredibly sad at the words, but their eyes lit up at the praise and the possibilities they could explore with the shares to Zonko's. They decided right there and then to pay tribute to Sirius somehow, either by a special line of joke products or maybe their next store's name.

"To Ronald, I leave my entire collection of Quidditch gear and my membership with the Quidditch Association, meaning you now have the lifelong right to attend any official Quiddtich match played under the QA's regulation. Enjoy it and make note of the way pros play, maybe you'll make it there one day yourself if you work hard enough."

Ron looked quite elated at Sirius' words. A letter floated from Ragnok's hands and landed in Ron's lap that he carefully cradled like a newborn.

Harry couldn't help but grin at Ron's fascination with Sirius' present. Spectating Quiddtich games was always a luxury that Ron couldn't afford until his father got free tickets to the World Cup so this would make sure Ron could go and watch as many matches for the rest of his life as his heart desired.

"Now, Molly, I know you're gonna hate me for this, but I've instructed Ragnok to transfer 100,000 Galleons into your account. I didn't want to be excessive and give you too much, but with this money you can at least renovate the entire Burrow and get that kitchen you've always dreamed of, maybe make the Burrow a bit more comfortable as less Weasleys live there but more come to visit? I don't know, I'll leave it to you to decide. Please continue caring for Harry as you have, it really means a lot to me knowing that he'll at least be fed with you around."

Molly started tearing up and Arthur had to reassuringly put an arm around her shoulders, knowing she wasn't very happy with herself as she had constantly criticised Sirius for the way he acted around Harry.

"Now, ah, yes, we only have two left, eh? Saving the best for last! Just kidding. Hermione Granger! Ah yes, the girl in the Golden Trio. I really wonder how you manage to put up with those two thick skulls, I mean they're both equally daft!" Sirius exclaimed and Hermione chuckled as Ron and Harry looked somewhat indignant.

"Anyway. First I really want to thank you for helping Harry rescue me in your third year, much appreciated in all. In fact, I'd probably be dead if you hadn't so cheers. Oh wait, I am dead by the time you hear this, so I guess thanks for at least delaying me biting the dust! Now Harry always preaches to me how brilliant you are and how you're the brightest witch of your generation. I really quite agree, your intelligence is unmatched, and so is your loyalty to Harry. Harry's told me how much you've always supported him and have always been there for him, and for that I'd like to sincerely thank you. You were there for him when I couldn't be; you never turned on him when everyone else did. Dumbledore mentioned to me that you could beat any Ravenclaw academically if you had to, but the reason you were put into Gryffindor was because you're braver than you are smart – and this is a truly scary thought if you ask me! The perfect Gryffindor, in my opinion, and growing into a wonderful woman to boot! It'll be a matter of time before he notices and acts upon it, bide your time and bide it well, milady. All I ask of you is to stick to him as you have before, your unconditional love and support are exactly what my godson will need to get through this war and you're the best source of it. What to leave you, though? Ah yes, first of all, I leave you a letter I will compose right after this, Ragnok should give it to you in a moment. It will reveal to you a secret that is normally only passed down the main branch of the Black Family, which luckily includes me! You're going to need Harry's help unlocking it though, so explain it to him once you read the letter, it'll save me writing another one to him. I'd also like to leave you a vault since I checked with Gringotts and they told me you didn't have your own vault! I can sort of understand that, being Muggle-born and all, but if you plan on sticking by Harry's side in the wizarding world, you're gonna need a vault. So I've taken the liberty of setting one up in your name, a good one with decent security and all. You can authorize your parents to use it too should they find themselves needing it. I've also taken the liberty of loading some money into it, just in case, you know? Use it for something fun, please! Get all the books you ever want or take Tonks and go on a good old-fashioned muggle shopping spree, I heard nothing beats those for a woman. Please get Harry something nice for his birthdays and Christmases, okay? Make up for the ones I missed, if you could. Thanks for everything and take care of yourself and Harry. I wish you all the best, your bright personality and character were always great to be around. Good luck for the future Hermione, I know you'll change it for everyone around you."

Harry put his arm around Hermione as she looked quite emotional. She had no idea she had impacted to greatly on Sirius and felt her cheeks grow hot at the implication of Harry taking not of her eventually if she stayed patient. Two objects landed in her lap, originating from Ragnok's podium. The first one was a letter sealed with a wax seal, the other one was a folded page of parchment. Knowing what the letter would contain, she unfolded the parchment and gasped softly.

With his arm still around her, Harry peeked over her shoulder. The parchment was a vault statement, detailing the contents and security features of the vault Sirius had set up for her. The balance indicated a million Galleons were deposited and Harry smiled at that and wondered what would come next – Sirius had been literally throwing money left and right.

"Well, this brings me to the last one – Harry James Potter! God there are many things I want to say to you Harry, but I can only say so many so I'll make this quick I guess. You're the only reason I've pulled through for as long as I have now and I hope I'll make it for a bit longer. Please don't mourn over me, I'm just an old dog. My soul died all those years ago along with your parents' when I was sent to Azkaban. The hope that you were alive was what kept me alive all those years in that hell-hole and I regret nothing that I've done since I've been out of it. I've been on borrowed time and having spent some of it with you was the only wish I had remaining. The time that I didn't get to spend with you was time I spent doing all I could to keep you safe – admittedly it probably wasn't all that much but it was certainly better than to be sitting around in a dark cell in Azkaban doing nothing but live a living nightmare. So, let's see. I basically have been giving money away to everyone else, and I leave all of the rest to you. Trust me, it's a lot – my family was really quite wealthy. I want you to take the money that I leave you and take some time to enjoy yourself, Harry. Go out and buy all the things that you were denied as a kid. Go buy clothes, toys, whatever your heart desires. Maybe take Hermione out for some fun, I'm sure she'd be delighted to show you the wonders of the muggle world! Your mother certainly had a fun time the first time she took the Marauders to an amusement park with Remus – god, that was so much fun, just ask Remus about it. I know that you have very little regard for money, Harry, and that you'd rather give it all of it away to spend a single day with your parents, and trust me, I would too. I'd sacrifice myself if I could give you one day with James and Lily, Harry, I really would. If anyone would deserve it, it'd be you. But sadly it doesn't work like that, so you're just gonna have to put up with all the money. Harry, I am literally leaving everything to you, I don't want anyone else but you to take all that I leave and make the most of it. This also includes Grimmauld Place. I hated that place, but I'd recommend you let Albus continue using it the way he currently is. There are many properties in the estate, so you can pick one to stay at, or maybe renovate that old house. It's up to you, really."

Sirius seemed to compose himself for a moment before continuing.

"You are the next Lord Black. I decided this so that maybe you could bring back some of the glory the Black name used to be associated with, and cleanse it of its association with the Dark Arts. I have made arrangements with the goblins so that once you turn 16 you will officially be Harry James Potter-Black, heir to both the Potter and Black fortunes and now Lord of both families. Given that the two estates are vast and large and are going to need management, the Goblins have agreed to allow you to have full access to both estates from your 16th birthday onwards, a year earlier than it would've been had you only been heir to the Potter fortune. I am sure the Goblins will be happy to help you manage your finances as you'll probably have no idea how to manage money properly. The combined estates are currently in a steady state of growth with many investments in muggle as well as wizarding businesses. Ask Remus and Hermione for some help to gain a proper overview and have Ragnok arrange for some people to help you invest properly and manage the money. Also, you will now have two votes in the Wizengamot. I recommend you let Albus proxy them for you, I think with two extra votes he could do a whole lot of good in the ministry to hinder Voldemort's puppets."

Harry looked a mix between depressed and surprised. He had certainly not expected this. Hermione wrapped her arm around his waist and Tonks hers around his shoulder in support and he gave both women a small smile of appreciation.

"Well Harry, my time's almost up here. I just want to tell you that I'm so sorry for not having been able to fulfil my duties as your Godfather and that I let myself be clouded by my emotions and took off after Wormtail. I am so proud of the man that you've become and I want to tell you that I love you, on the behalf of your mother Lily and your father James. I have prepared a trunk filled with mementos from your parents that I still had, I am sure you'll find many more in the Potter vaults. Don't ever forget to let loose a little Harry, I know it's not easy in these dark times but you must, please do it at least for my sake. Hang out with friends, grow up, and fall in love! Who knows Harry, maybe the girl you're looking for is right beside you, you're just not looking hard enough. Goodbye Prongslet, take care of everyone and kick that Dark Tosser's arse for me. I hope I won't have to meet you anytime soon in the afterlife, so you better win that bloody war, fall in love, have kids, grow old, and then come before me. I'll be waiting right here with your parents, and don't forget what I told you in your third year – we'll always live on in your heart. I love you, Harry. Padfoot out."

By the end the tears were freely flowing from Harry's eyes as he sobbed into Hermione's shoulder. Hermione set aside her documents and wrapped both arms around Harry and soothingly ran her hands through his hair. Tonks quickly moved around and gently pulled the two into a hug and Remus wasn't far behind. Harry eventually calmed down and Hermione pulled out a handkerchief to dry his tears. Harry smiled appreciatively at the four as they released him and looked up to Ragnok who wore a grim smile.

"This concludes the reading of the will. All monetary transfers have been completed and if you have any questions please do not hesitate to come up here. The doors will be opened shortly and you may depart. I once more offer my condolences to all present and wish you all the best of luck." He said when Harry was seated again properly and waved to Griphook who opened the doors.

Narcissa and Draco rose first and left their seats. Looking undecided, Narcissa gestured for Draco to wait outside before walking down the path between the benches and approached Harry.

She looked extremely hesitant before speaking quietly, "Lord Black, a word if I may?"

Harry who had just finished wiping his face with the handkerchief looked surprised and nodded. "It's just Harry, Missus Malfoy."

She nodded in acceptance and spoke, "I would like to seriously consider the offer Sirius has left for me. Would it be acceptable if I contacted you via owl in the coming days to inform you of my decisions?"

"Of course, I will honour Sirius' request and your own decisions as he would have. Please contact me at your convenience." He replied, hoping his choice of words were appropriate for the occasion.

Narcissa inclined her head in thanks and excused herself before collecting Draco at the door and leaving the bank.

Andromeda and Ted were the next ones to get up and approach the group in the front, Tonks quickly hugging her parents.

"Harry, Hermione, meet the two people who decided to name their daughter the worst possible thing they could come up with!" Tonks introduced them, causing everyone to laugh.

"Lord Black, it's an honour." Andromeda said and was about to bow before him.

Harry just laughed nervously; he really didn't like all these formalities. "Please Missus Tonks, I'm just Harry. No need to be formal to me or anything, I'm just a teen thrust into a position completely out of his comfort zone."

She nodded in acceptance and looked at Ted who nodded in return. "I would really like to accept Sirius' offer of being part of the Black Family again. It would mend many old wounds." She said seriously.

Harry nodded. "Of course, I'd be happy to do that, if only I knew how. Could you wait for two weeks or so? I need to research all this Head of House business first and find out how I can accept someone into a family, or reinstate you as Sirius said. Could I owl you when I know how and we can arrange for a meeting?"

Andromeda and Ted looked relieved at his words and accepted, telling Harry he could contact them easily either through their daughter or via owl. Harry agreed he'd let Nyphadora know and she'd tell them where to meet him. Thanking him once more the married couple nodded to the goblins and everyone else before leaving the room.

While Dumbledore approached them, a whole different situation was brewing over at the Weasley side. Ron's frown had grown and grown ever since Hermione's part had been read out. He looked at the envelope his lap in disgust, it seemed so pathetic compared to what everyone else had received. Why did Hermione deserve to get a whole vault to herself that was probably laden with gold? What did she do to deserve a letter detailing some Black Family secret?

This had intensified at Harry's part. Within a few weeks' worth of time Harry would have access to hundreds of millions of Galleons and countless priceless items, he could practically swim in gold. And all he had gotten were tickets to Quidditch? How was that fair? Even Hermione had gotten money, sure the tickets were great but they were nothing compared to the fortune Harry had gotten. Sirius' words about Harry having no regard for money rang in the back of his mind but he pushed them away, drowning them out in his own jealousy. Why did Harry always get everything? He was the famous Boy-Who-Lived, and now he was swimming up to the neck in money…

'_And now he's got his arms around Hermione! Why is it always him! How is any of this fair, how come I don't get anything at all?' _Ron raged to himself as the tips of his ears were growing redder and redder, his eyebrows narrowing and nostrils flaring. He was about to stomp up to everyone and blow his top, demanding answers for why he hadn't received anything or worth.

Fortunately for everyone, Gred and Forge had observed their little brother and had predicted this reaction and as Ron shot up, so did they, and each of them hooked an arm into one of Ron's and dragged him out of the room, telling their parents to say to Harry for them.

* * *

Later that night, Harry sat on Hermione's bed with documents and folders scattered all around him. Hermione sat next to him reading, flipping through a folder as Harry stretched his arms above his head and groaned. Before they had left the bank, Ragnok had requested that Harry would make an appearance at the bank on his 16th birthday so they could finalise him claiming ownership over the accounts. Harry had agreed and Ragnok had given him several folders and ledgers detailing the entire Potter and Black estates so he had an idea of what he would be claiming ownership of in a few weeks' time.

Ragnok had said the status as Lord Black was effective immediately and he'd receive the Head of House rings on his birthday as well, but he could make decisions regarding the family itself from that point onwards.

Dumbledore had said he'd see them tomorrow for the start of their training with Alastor and he'd bring documents that would allow him to make use of the seats in the Wizengamot.

The four had returned to the house and had been served a large lunch by Dobby which they all wolfed down given how hungry they were from the long will reading and emotionally taxing ordeal. Tonks said she was on patrol duty in Diagon Alley today so she left. Remus said he had a few things to do so he left as well, leaving Hermione to offer Harry to sort through all the documents and ledgers with him. He had naturally accepted and they had chosen Hermione's room as their base of operations.

"Let's get some lunch and discuss our findings, okay?" Hermione offered and they packed up all the documents before heading down.

Dobby served them an excellent meal consisting of Shepherd's Pie and Treacle Tart for desert with Butterbeers as their beverage of choice. As they chomped away at their meal, Hermione detailed her findings.

"Well Harry, I don't think I need to explain to you exactly just how wealthy you are, the sheer amount of liquid assets is astounding. When you take into account the amount of investments and shares both estates hold, I think that the only job you'll ever really have time for when you graduate is to manage it all. Like being a businessman except that all business are already established and your job is to regulate them."

Harry nodded thoughtfully. He had lost track of the amount of zeroes he had seen in the summaries, he didn't even want to think about the value of the gold he had sitting in his accounts when converted into muggle money. There were at least two muggle bank accounts already set up, one for the Black and one for the Potter estate. Those accounts were used for some of the investments and revenue deposits and other things that Harry didn't quite understand.

Seeing his nod, Hermione continued, "Then there are a lot of investments. I am not sure who made what decision regarding the more recent ones, but they have been bringing a lot of money each year as most of them were for businesses that grew a lot in the past decade. So far all of them have been worth it and paid for themselves and are of substantial value now, should you ever find the need to sell your shares for more money which I highly doubt unless you plan on buying all of Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley combined."

He laughed at her comparison and motioned for her to continue. "And as you saw, you now are in possession of several properties, including this house. Some of them are flats, some are houses and apartments and there is the Potter Mansion, your ancestors' home. I'm sure your parents would've stayed there too, at least for a while. It' been uninhabited for a while since it said that only the current Lord Potter could access it in the case of the owners perishing, so you can access it when you wish. Aside from that, there's nothing else I really found except that there is also a lot of jewellery and other heirlooms in the main vaults.

Finishing his tart, Harry nodded thoughtfully. "Mhm, I'd like to have a look at the vaults on my birthday, maybe my parents left behind a journal or something. I think that'd be something nice for me to read if I… you know, feel lonely." Harry finished quietly and emptied his bottle of Butterbeer.

Hermione's gaze softened at his words and she reached across the table to rub her thumb over his knuckles. "When you feel lonely you tell me okay? I'll do my best do help you feel better." She said softly and he looked up at her.

"I can't come to you with every single problem Hermione," Harry replied with a smile, "but I'll keep it in mind."

She nodded and Dobby appeared to take their dishes away.

"I want to go read the letter Sirius left me. I'm not sure what it entails but apparently I'm going to need your help with something that the letter explains." She said after a while and Harry nodded.

* * *

An hour the later the two found themselves standing in the entrance corridor, right across the portrait of Sirius' mother who began screeching at the sight of Hermione. Once more the magic of the house elves proved their superiority and not a single sound was made.

The letter Sirius had left Hermione had detailed the secret to Grimmauld Place – it had a hidden library. Sirius had joked that she was the only person he knew that would know to appreciate such a library and that he had been sure that she had already searched the house from top to bottom for books that belonged to the Black Family. With the letter also came a warning – Sirius had said the library would contain many tomes of the darkest magic known to mankind, as well as many old and lost forms of magic that hadn't been practised for decades. Sirius had said the Black Family had fought blood feuds over the knowledge their library contained and many of the works in it were acquired through great financial investments, thievery or even outright murder. Of course none of this was public knowledge and the Black Family had maintained their image as a pureblood family of upright morals instead of those of murderers – their influence in the ministry had been significant about 100 years ago.

The reason he had mentioned Harry was because only Harry would be able to open it and then set a password to authorize her to enter it as well. The entrance to the library was none other than Walburga Black's portrait, explaining why the elves had been unable to remove her from the wall. The instructions had been simple enough, Harry would have to touch the portrait frame and command it open. Then he could command it to have a password so that Hermione could access the library at will as well.

Sirius had also instructed them to keep the library's existence a secret between the two for it would certainly raise the interests of anyone wanting power. He also said to Harry that he could learn many great things from its works and possibly find a way to defeat Voldemort in it if he searched well enough, but should under no circumstances delve into the Dark Arts.

"They consume you," Sirius had written, "they will taint your very soul and slowly create an addiction inside of you. You will feel a pull, a need to perform more magic of its kind. It is magic like this that made Voldemort the maniac that he is today and you must not be tempted by its power. Sure, it would be easy to learn the Dark Arts and fight him on an even ground, but it will come at the cost of your very soul and humanity. Many rituals described in the books of that collection require sacrifices ranging from a virgin's blood gathered from her broken hymen all the way to the beheading of a newborn. Educate yourself on those magics, get to know what you could be up against when fighting Voldemort and his minions. There is more to him than infinite Killing Curses, he is capable of far more terrible things. But do not, under any circumstances, attempt anything you deem dark from those books. I want you two to never be alone inside the library, always stay together. The temptation is too great of a risk… it is far easier to give into the magics than you would expect. Please, always enter the library together and leave it together as well."

Both Harry and Hermione had shuddered at the thought of turning out like Voldemort and had agreed to go with Sirius wish of them entering it together at all times.

Harry placed his hand on the frame and ignored the look on Sirius' mother's face as she looked as if he was violating her body as he touched the frame. Luckily enough he didn't need to allow her to speak to open the passage, neither did she need to speak for the passage to open when given the password.

"Open." Harry said firmly and looked at the frame expectantly. After a moment a door-sized rectangle became visible around the portrait. The rectangle seemed to sink into the wall itself and suddenly slid to the left, revealing a staircase leading into darkness. Taking Hermione's hand he cast "_Lumos!"_ and walked down the stairs. As soon as they reached the first step the door behind them slid back into place.

The staircase was rather short, only a few steps long. Torches lit up along the wall as Harry and Hermione descended slowly, taking in their surroundings.

Hermione let out a soft gasp as they finally entered the library. It was far larger than Harry would have expected, but he figured it had been placed here magically as there wasn't that much space underneath the house's staircase this place must've been located under. The room was circular and lit by magical gas lamps at the wall. The lamps illuminated the room quite sufficiently. Harry looked down and realized they were standing on dark green carpet instead of the same wooden floor that had been the standard of Grimmauld Place before the renovation.

The round room's continuous wall was essentially one gigantic shelf. Looking up the two realized the room was also far higher than would've been mundanely possible, Hermione could be standing on Harry's shoulders and still not reach the top rows. There was a narrow door in part of the shelf to the right as well as one on the left that Harry noticed. He nodded towards each of the doors and Hermione examined them curiously from afar – they'd check them out later.

In the middle of the circular library was a little podium. A large book was placed upon it. It must've been at least a thousand pages thick and reminded Hermione of a big guest book that muggles liked to use at wedding receptions. To Harry it looked more like a gigantic photo album from afar. Still holding Hermione's hand he stepped on the podium and looked at the book. To his surprise, the opened page was black.

"Hmm, I wonder what this is." He wondered aloud. Seconds later the book magically flipped along a few pages before coming to rest, startling the two. Leaning over the book the two found the page to be covered in writing this time.

"_Welcome to the family library of the House Black."_ Was the title of the page, printed in clear black ink in a neat script. Sharing a look with Hermione, Harry kept reading. _"This is the library's index. It is a magical system implemented to manage the Black Family library. Its purpose is to simplify the use of the library. Every book of the library is indexed here by all possibly categories, ranging from author, to year published, to topic. The index has many features, including searching for entries by specific word or phrase. The index is voice activated; a mere vocal query will yield results. Requested books will be levitated from its place to the podium. Should you want to return a book to its allocated place, all that is required is for you to leave the book anywhere on the podium and close it and it shall be returned to its place automatically. Should you find yourself wanting to merely browse; the index can list random titles as well as a list of all books located. This index is also capable of acting as a thesaurus and dictionary should you find yourself in the need of such services. A list of all the index's capabilities can be called upon if required. Please enjoy your experience in the Black Family Library."_

Hermione let out a low whistle of appreciation. "This is very complex magic Harry, not even the Hogwarts library has such an advanced library system. If it did I doubt Madam Pince's services would still be required." She commented, turning on the spot to take in the size of the room.

Harry gestured to the two doors at the side. "I wonder what's behind those doors?"

Before Hermione could speculate, the index flipped a few pages ahead. Leaning over the book to see what it said, Harry raised his eyebrows in surprise.

"_The library is fitted with two adjacent rooms. The room to the left of this podium is a reading room, holding comfortable seats as well as desks to work upon. The room to the right of this podium leads to the collection of oldest and most valuable tomes of the library, only accessible by the authorisation of the Lord Black."_

"Well there's your answer." Hermione said, her eyes brightening at the explanation of what hid behind the door to the right. Harry could feel the excitement radiate off her in waves and she looked at him almost pleadingly after glancing at the door.

Chuckling at her expression, Harry spoke in a teasing tone, "Yes Hermione, we can look at the valuable section in a moment."

Stroking his chin for a second, Harry asked the Index "Is it possible to not set a password to access the library but only authorize entrance to certain people?"

The pages flipped again, backwards this time, before coming to halt. _"The Lord Black may authorize anyone to access the library through touching the guardian portrait's frame by bringing them here and having them sign their name on the adjacent page."_

A quill materialised next to the book. The right page of the book was almost blank – Harry's name was already written at the top with "Lord Black" in brackets beside it. He handed the quill to Hermione who hesitantly looked at him.

"Are you sure Harry? I mean it's your inheritance from Sirius and I'm not related to either of you, so…" She asked, but Harry interrupted her by placing his hand on hers and guiding it so the quill's point touched the page.

"Hermione I trust you with everything and Sirius entrusted the secret to this place to you as well. Besides you're the intelligent one here, how could I possibly deny you knowing your love for books and knowledge? In case we ever need to get something from here and I can't come with you, you'll still be able to come in here with no problems. Now sign your name on the page." Harry reassured her and let go of her hand. Smiling at him brightly she nearly wrote her name. When she removed the quill from the parchment, her name flashed bright yellow for a second before vanishing, only to reappear under Harry's own name in the book's predefined font.

"Well now that that's taken care of, let's look at what's behind that door, okay?" Harry said and Hermione gladly followed his lead once more.

As Harry approached the door, he noticed a silver inscription around his eye level on the door's front. _"This door can only be opened by the Lord Black. Should anyone attempt to open this door without the Lord's consent, they will meet a long and painful death. Beware of the knowledge that lies behind, for it has the power to invoke changes to people beyond your wildest imagination."_

Hermione read the warning too and wondered just what lay behind the door. The picture Sirius had painted them of Dark Magic had been quite dreary, but now it felt all the more dangerous than it did before. With a resolute nod, Harry grabbed Hermione's hand with one hand and the door's handle with another before pushing it down. The door opened inwards and the two stepped inside the room.

The room they entered was significantly smaller than the main room of the library, about the size of Harry's bedroom. It was circular too and had the same kind of continuous shelf filled with books as the room behind them had. A smaller version of the podium stood in the middle of the room as well.

Hermione ignored the podium and walked along the shelf, gently running her slim fingers along the spines of all the books, taking in their titles. Harry stood back and watched her in fascination. She looked so at ease, completely in her element. The brunette completed a lap of the room and came to a stop next to Harry. Her voice was filled with excitement.

"Harry, some of these books are so incredibly rare, people would pay hundreds of thousands of Galleons to spend an hour in here! I'm sure the Ministry would invent new _laws _to get their hands on these books if they knew about this place. We certainly can't tell anyone about this now, I'm fairly certain I saw a book that even detailed the creation of the Unforgivables by their creators. If any of these fell into the wrong hands, terrible things could happen! Imagine if someone found out how the Unforgivables were created and used those methods and arithmetic formulas to combine them or make even more horrendous curses? The possibilities would be endless in the right hands, but if Vodemort got to read some of these tomes we would have even more obstacles to overcome."

Harry nodded with her assessment. "Well this room, as well as the rest of this place, seems perfectly protected and no one will be able to get in unless I let them, and nothing short of an Imperious, which I can throw off, would make me do that, so I won't worry about it. We're just gonna have to find a way to spend time in here without anyone knowing; otherwise we'll never be able to explore this place's whole potential."

His companion nodded in agreement. "Mhm. Well right now everyone's out, so how about we look at the other room?"

The other room turned out to be quite cosy. It had several soft couches with blankets that were perfect to curl up on and read a good book in front of the small fire place. There were two large desks as well with large cushioned chairs. To their surprise there was another smaller version of the index in the centre of the room, which was also circular. It really did seem as if the previous Blacks had been too lazy to get up and walk to the main room to get their books, so instead they had built in three indexes to retrieve the books for them.

After exploring the room, Harry decided to try something. "Dobby?" He called out firmly and waited. A moment later, the energetic house elf popped into existence, looking eager to please.

"Master Harry Potter called, sir?" He asked excitedly.

"Hey Dobby, I just wanted to check whether you're able to come in here if I call for you since the library is protected and all."

Dobby's ears flapped as he nodded. "Dobby be only able to come here when Master Potter is here, sir. The house will not permit it otherwise." He explained. Harry nodded, it made sense to him. Asking Dobby to get them some soda, he turned to Hermione with a small grin.

"Well, what are you waiting for? Go get yourself a book!" He told her and she grinned almost manically before dashing into the main room.

* * *

Another hour later, Hermione found herself sitting next to Harry on one of the soft couches. In her hands she held a first edition copy of _Hogwarts: A History_ and it truly fascinated her how different it was from the edition she had read before attending the school.

They had asked Dobby to inform them should Remus or Tonks return to the house so they knew when they had to leave and make an appearance.

She was in the process of taking a break as she found herself unable to pay attention because of a major distraction – the boy that was sitting next to her. He didn't even know how much of a distraction he posed and normally she wouldn't either, but for whatever reason, this day was different. Maybe it was the intimate setting; they were, after all, in a small reading room sitting next to each other on a comfortable couch that reminded her of the one they shared for sleep, behind magical wards that would keep anyone else out.

What certainly counted as a factor was the way Harry looked. They both had curled up at either end of the couch. His face was a mask of concentration as he eagerly read whatever he had chosen from the index, his beautiful green eyes flying across the words the book presented him with. He was relaxed but focused, she knew this look well – he must've been reading something that really interested him.

Her eyes took in his gentle hands holding the book, the way his fringe dipped just against his eyebrows, the way he occasionally pushed up his glasses on the bridge of his nose and the way his mouth slightly quivered when he remarked something to himself as he read something he wanted to remember.

Closing the book she leaned back against the back rest, her eyes still on him. She grew thoughtful as she once more pondered the change in their relationship. _'We're definitely growing closer, closer than best friends normally are,' _she thought to herself as she bit her lower lip, _'and I know that he knows it too, he did acknowledge it yesterday when we talked about Ginny. But what are we turning into…? I'm almost certain that I've completely fallen for him, for him, Harry Potter, who also happens to be my best friend. I've felt like this for a while, I was even ready to give up hope he'd ever feel anything similar… but this summer has turned everything upside down again and it hasn't even been a week! I really enjoy the way we're now; he's so much calmer when we're alone, a lot wittier and such a sweet gentleman when it comes to me… but what does it all mean? Does it mean he could possibly feel the same way about him? Sheesh, I'm supposed to know him best I can't figure this out for the life of me!'_

Hermione wondered how far they'd progress this summer, how much closer they'd get. They were moving slowly and she realized that their physical level of comfort with another when they shared their bed was growing to be akin to a lover couple's intimacy. Hermione loved it, the gentle way he held her and the way he always froze up when he thought he had touched her in a wrong place by accident – he was clearly prioritizing her comfort over his at every instance.

'_I want him, I want him as more than a friend. I don't know as what exactly, but whatever it is that gets to sleep in the same bed as him, that gets to hold him close, that gets to kiss him and love him, comfort him when he's having a nightmare and hold him though his tears… whatever that is, I want it, I want to be that. I guess I already am part of that, but I want to be more than what officially are now… but how do I go about it? Do I tell him? Do I ask him? Do I kiss him? What do I do? How do we go on from here? What now?'_

Hermione's eyes didn't leave him as she continued to think the issue. A small smile played around her lips as she came to a realisation.

'_We've been progressing each day, if I think about it. Every morning we wake up together we grow a bit closer, we become a bit more intimate, we become a bit more comfortable. This is exactly how we're gonna keep going for now… slowly, clumsily, perfectly. I can't forget that he's just as inexperienced as I am, so I obviously can't expect him to make any big moves. We're gonna take it nice and slow.'_

She told herself, her smile growing at her thoughts. Her chocolate ones met his green ones as he looked up, his senses had informed him that she'd been staring at him for a while.

"What's gotten you all smiley?" He asked playfully, setting his book aside for a moment.

Closing her book, she moved next to him and curled up at his side, her smile bright as it reached her eyes. She noted that he instinctively raised his arm to put it around her shoulders as she leaned her face against his chest and put her arm around his midsection.

"This. All of this. This is amazing Harry, this place could be exactly what we need to gain knowledge to win this war. This library holds records and magics that are long lost and forgotten and allow us opportunities we never would've had otherwise." She murmured into his warm chest.

Harry looked down at the figure that fit so perfectly against him. Her warmth mixed with his and he smiled at the vibrations as she spoke against him. "Yes, I agree. I'm sure we'll find something here worth learning that we can use in a fight."

He wondered what she was thinking about. He loved the way she would just take the initiative and snuggle up against him and hold him as he held her, basking in each other's presence. Maybe things weren't so bad after all, maybe things would start looking up soon. The words Sirius had said rang through his mind – maybe the love he'd been looking for had been there all along, right by his side.

* * *

The next week passed quickly for the two of them as their training with Dumbledore and Mad-Eye started. Mad-Eye had taken the first two days of their first weeks' worth of training by apparating them to Hogwarts and getting them to get used to dodging spells. In his typical brutal but efficient way, he had them run laps around the lake while using a charm to hover above its surface as he watched them run. He'd randomly fire volleys of stunners at the two of them, forcing them to jump, roll, and dive, out of the way in order to not get hit. Moody yelled at them to not be afraid to get dirty as they would never be able to stay clean in a real fight anyway. Hermione and Harry quickly became less hesitant to dive into the mud, slide around a rock outcropping or duck behind trees as the battle hardened auror starting becoming more varied in his choice of weaponry. He banished rocks at them, threw diagonal cutting hexes, over powered stinging charms and even used the summoning charm.

Harry and Hermione had quickly realized that Moody wasn't pulling any punches. They'd been stunned more times than they could recall during their first day, which only spurned them to dodge better – neither of them fancied a visit to Madam Pomphrey should they get hit by Moody's cutting hexes.

Each night they returned to Grimmauld Place battered and bruised – nothing severe but they were dead tired either way. After their dodging session that lasted all the way to lunch, Moody had them duel him two on one. The first time they did this he had disarmed them in less than five minutes by transfiguring the ground into mud and disarming them as they couldn't find footing and slipped. Moody was drilling them to learn to adapt to their surroundings and to expect the unexpected. Only then did the two realize how lucky they'd been against the dozen Death Eaters in the ministry, if any of them had been as skilled as Moody, they probably would've died.

Their afternoon parts were normally spent with Moody going over unconventional uses for simple hexes. He said a well-timed _Accio_ on an opponent's shoelace could make them trip, or summoning a charm from behind them could even kill if they summoned a large object with enough power to cause some blunt trauma.

Much to their relief, their third session for the first week was with Dumbledore, with whom they spent the day discussing transfiguration and its usefulness in battle. He had pointed out the instance where Moody had used transfiguration to change dirt into mud and then disarm them. Hermione made the point that it seemed like the strongest tool in a battle to be able to manipulate one's environment and he had readily agreed.

"A weak wizard can beat a powerful one if he can control his environment. A simple transfiguration can turn deadly for an opponent. What if you landed a tripping jinx on the enemy and transfigured the ground in front of them into a field of rock spikes? Suddenly your first year tripping jinx has turned into a powerful tool of destruction." The elderly wizard had explained. "As you may have noticed, many Death Eaters are entirely reliant on spells during a fight and will stop paying attention to easy opportunities to make use of their surroundings. They also tend to lose sight of their positioning and allies in a battle, and thus it is not quite as difficult to separate them and take them out one by one."

The week of lessons had been ended by Dumbledore on the recommendation they get reacquainted with the basics of transfiguration for they would be using it a lot in the next week.

Saturday night found Harry and Hermione sitting in the library. Tonks and Remus had retired their floor for the night and Harry and Hermione had quietly made their way to the hidden fountain of knowledge.

Harry summoned the same book he had the last time they'd been there, a book on immortality Hermione noted. She had told Harry that she had an idea and that she'd be back in a bit. Harry had shrugged and went to the reading room.

Hermione stood in the "valuable room" as Harry had dubbed it, and approached the index.

"Index, show me a list of books detailing lost and ancient forms of magic that have not been in circulation for at least 100 years." If there was a magic that could be useful against Voldemort then it was probably one Voldemort didn't have access to, meaning it would have to be old and forgotten, undocumented even as far as he could know.

The book's pages flipped for a while before stopping. The list was two whole large pages long and Hermione noted that many of them were definitely dark ones, ranging from rituals to spells to potions to even dark creatures.

"Filter out any that are known to be associated with Dark Magic requiring any sort of sacrifice or pose potential threats to someone's soul and/or sanity." She commanded.

The book's pages flared again before stopping. Hermione had learned that this was the book's way of processing commands, whether or not the page actually changed was a mystery to her.

The list was significantly shorter this time, only about 50 titles long.

Looking over the list, she directed, "Filter out all texts dealing exclusively with potions, rituals and non-humanoid magic."

The list came down to two dozen titles. Scanning over them, Hermione paused, many of them had a common theme in their title – Runes.

"Runes?" She quietly asked herself. Of course she knew what Runes were; she studied them at school of course. But these Runes seemed to have nothing to do with the ones she knew – some of the book titles were written entirely in a runic script that looked entirely alien to her.

The Runes she had studied about were normally ones used for purposes such as enchantment and warding and the ones she had learned about so far were still quite primitive and really not that useful. They had only covered one runic alphabet so far.

"Confine the list to all texts involving Runes and magic." She asked the codex. Several of the titles faded out and she was left with about a dozen book names.

"Could you compile a comprehensive summary of the magic that these titles deal with, taking into account all factors that are consistent throughout all these titles?"

This time the index seemed to work significantly longer, but was finished after a minute.

Reading over the summary it had compiled for her, she gasped loudly as her eyes widened.

"Harry!" She yelled loudly, "Come here, I think I've found something!"

* * *

_Meanwhile, three floors above them…_

Remus sat in his room, on his bed, staring blankly at the wall. He hadn't spent a lot of time in the house over the week, he'd been trying to occupy himself as much as he could, He needed this time to think over the things Harry had beaten into him and the things Sirius had said in his will.

The money Sirius had left him had completely shocked Remus and he hadn't even touched any of it yet, it just seemed so surreal. Suddenly he was rich and would never have to work again if he wanted to… but still, Remus needed time to think.

Things had been quite tense during meals that he attended. He couldn't look Tonks and Harry into the eyes without feeling guilty, so he didn't. Instead he normally pulled Hermione into discussions about charms or potions, which wasn't too hard to pull off.

He knew he had to do something. It couldn't go on this way, and his mind replayed the memory of Harry beating him while verbally lashing at him crystal clear. He had felt so weak, so pathetic. He knew Harry raised perfectly valid points as he tore his insecurities and excuses apart. Harry's final words had stung the most, the words about how Sirius never got to fall in love with anyone, and how Lily and James had embraced their love and would be so very disappointed in him if they ever saw him again.

Remus knew perfectly well how right Harry had been. He needed to stop running, to stop hiding. It needed to stop.

Abruptly, the werewolf stood and almost ripped his door open. _'I'm going to do it. Watch me, Padfoot, Prongs.'_

Crossing the hall, he knocked on Tonks' door.

It opened after a second to reveal Tonks, wearing a simple white shirt and tracksuit pants.

"Yes?" She asked, curious. Meeting his eyes, Tonks found herself surprised to see Remus stand outside her door, with a certain look in his eyes, a look she hadn't seen in a long time. Remus Lupin was determined… about something.

"We need to talk. Can I come in?" He asked straight up.

Wordlessly she stepped back and opened her door, gesturing for him to come in. He stepped in and she closed her door. Tonks turned around to face him, when suddenly she found herself pressed against her bedroom door, rattling it in its hinges.

"What-" She started but was cut off as she felt Remus lips crash into hers. Reacting instinctively, her arms went around it as she responded to the kiss.

* * *

**Author's Ramblings #2: **Mwhahaha, I left ya'll hanging with that one, didn't I? This one took a bit longer to write because; well, it's a bit slower than the other chapters. And there wasn't much Harmony fluff so I was a bit less enthusiastic in writing this, but the will reading was quite emotional nonetheless. And I lied last chapter, the full reveal of the Runic Affinity is in the next chapter, for now you're going to have to imagine what I've come up with. Maybe drop a review outlining what you think it'll be?

Also we broke 200 reviews, which really excited me. I also lied last chapter about the upcoming fluff, all that will have to wait until the next chapter. And here's to tease you, next chapter Harry and Hermione take a pretty big step in their developing relationship! Also Remus and Tonks are going to have a waaaaaaaaay overdue "talk" as you saw the beginning of here, so look forward to that too.

I'm still a bit conflicted of what I want to do with Ron and Ginny, but for now it'll start with the seeds of jealousy. What they grow into, we shall see later.

Well, feel free to drop a review! I'm going to try to update every weekend at least, maybe during the week sometimes. Peace!


	6. Of family, lovers and magic

**Harry Potter & The Runic Affinity**

**Author's Preface: **Why hello there. With the last instalment we broke 300 reviews. Now that shit is off the hook mate, I was pretty happy when I found out. There were some really interesting ones, and I'd like to thank a few people. _**Rambling Rebel**_ for pointing out that I need to work on my consistency with clothing articles, I like to jump between UK and US English here from time to time it seems. _**RiverOffers **_for being a fucking crazy cunt ay, totally sending me crazy PMs and shit. _**Iu-atticus **_for putting up with my ramblings while allowing me to have an in-depth discussion about the Harry Potter universe with her lovely self. We've come to the conclusion that R/Hr is just plainly stupid, by the way. _**Alix33 **_for being a champ and pointing out many of my spelling mistakes and grammatical errors and leaving cute comments on the things I write. _**Lectorsum **_for leaving well written reviews on my chapters, making me feel great by recognizing some of the more sophisticated thought processes my wreck of a brain goes through as I write these characters. _**Folaan **_for being awesome and helping me find a way to deal with Ron in this story and presenting a reasonable argument regarding the differences between purebloods and muggle-borns that really intrigued me. And last, but not least, I'd like to thank **you - **for sitting behind your screens, reading, favouriting, following and reviewing. I love you (in the most heterosexual way possible).

Also, if you're offended by my choice of words in these Author's Notes, I highly recommend you go and check out Alex Williamson on youtube, he will show you what the Australian sense of humour's like.

* * *

**Chapter 6: Of family, lovers and magic.**

Tonks' brain went into overdrive and ignored any sort of logic. Just a few days ago she'd been crying her heart out to Hermione about her sort of unrequited love for Remus and she'd been upset about it every day whenever she was alone for long enough for her mind to come back and dwell on it. Now though, he was pressing her against her bedroom door, pressing his enticing lips into hers. Her natural response to his kiss encouraged his hand to roughly encourage her right leg to wrap around his waist.

Quite frankly, she didn't give a damn. Everything she wanted was in front of her right now, in the process of making her feel like heaven was just the beginning. Given that this could be her only opportunity ever to translate her love for him into more than just words to show him, Tonks took the opportunity and her free hand grabbed the front of his shirt tightly.

"Bed. Now." She commanded, pushing him backwards onto her bed. Remus let himself fall on it, his back slightly bouncing off the mattress. Before he could think any further, Tonks straddled his lap, wand in hand. A flick later, the curtains were closed, the light was off and certain privacy spells had been invoked. Throwing her wand away almost carelessly, she hastily pulled off her tank top before leaning over to press her bra-clad chest into his, rubbing it along him sensually.

With an erotic gleam in her eyes she huskily whispered into his ear, "We can talk later, you big bad wolf. Now help me take this off so you can show me how much of a bad girl I've been."

No more words were exchanged as his hands started roaming her exposed skin frantically, caressing her softest parts, causing her to shiver and let out a moan.

* * *

Indeed, for the better part of the night, many sounds except for actual words were exchanged between the two.

When Harry entered the room Hermione was in he didn't even get around to asking what she had found as she started loading his arms with books. A stack of at least ten books strained his back muscles as well as his biceps, causing him to let out a groan in complaint. Hermione completely ignored it and grabbed the remaining few books before marching out of the Valuable Room, across the main room, into the reading room. She gestured to a table where Harry unloaded the books on before turning to her with the unspoken questioning shining in his eyes.

Hermione thought for a second, trying to think how to explain her findings to Harry. "Okay, where to start…" She muttered to herself, causing Harry to chuckle lightly.

"How about at the start?" He offered and she nodded.

"Right. So I was thinking, if we are to make full use of the library that we have here at our disposal, we should probably learn new magic from it, yes?" She started and Harry only nodded. "Given the age of some of the tomes in here I thought to myself that if we're to find something to help us, it'll probably be ancient and forgotten. I doubt that any sort of common magic is going to help us much against _him_, so we should be looking for something that's probably old enough for it to be considered forgotten magic meaning that the likelihood of anyone else knowing how to perform it should be rather low. You follow so far?"

Once more, all Harry gave in reply was a thoughtful nod. He gestured for her to go on, and so she did, "I used the Index to show me all texts on forms of magic that haven't been published for at least 100 years, so anything before 1896. After refining my search a few times to exclude any sort of Dark Magic as well as texts strictly dealing with potions or magic that doesn't apply to humans, I was presented with a list of the books you just helped me carry here. When I first looked at the list I looked for any sort of similarity and there was one predominant trend in the topics of the books – Runes."

Again, Harry nodded in understanding. He turned his head to look at the stack of books – some of the titles were written in something that definitely didn't count as the alphabet he knew.

"I asked the Index to compile a general summary of the topics the books had in common." Hermione took a deep breath and Harry could tell by her eyes that she was just short of shaking with excitement. "Harry, those books all deal with ancient runic magic! They must be from hundreds, perhaps even thousands of years ago. All the texts on that table deal with Runes in a way that has been completely forgotten and replaced over the generations."

She explained excitedly. Seeing the confused look on Harry's face, she elaborated, "I know you don't study Runes at Hogwarts, so I'll give you a basic rundown. Basically, it is speculated that Runes were invented and created for the sole purpose of enchanting and making permanent alterations to inanimate objects."

Giving her a slightly less confused look, Hermione stepped on the intellectual brakes and decided to explain it to Harry in more visual terms. "Okay, you know how we go out in winter and get cold? What to Wizards do when they're cold? They use a Warming Charm on their clothes. When you use a charm like that though, you'll find it'll run out eventually, meaning you have to expend magic again to reapply it or go without it. With Runes though, what you could do is inscribe Runes for warmth or heat on the inside of your cloak and toggle them at will and you'll be warm for as long as you want to be, not for as long as your magic lasts within a charm. Does that clarify it?"

"Is that what Sirius did in Buckbeak's room? He used Runes to enchant some of the items in there, didn't he? That way they'd work when he's not around?" Harry asked, having grasped the concept.

Hermione hummed as she nodded, her eyes sparkling. "Yes, just like that. Nowadays, Runes are only really used to magically modify items and by extension, create wards. They're very flexible, the Runes I mean, and the possibilities are virtually endless. You can create a ward for just about anything with the right Runes, logic and algorithm, and a bit of Arithmancy. You can enchant an item to do anything as well, I'm sure if we properly examined your Invisibility Cloak properly, we'd find it to be a runic masterpiece. From what I gather, a good part of crafting wands is based on Runic systems, but that's not the point here."

"Okay, so Runes can be used to enchant items and create wards if you know how to use them properly." Harry repeated and Hermione nodded. "That sounds useful, but how does that help us against Voldemort? What's in those books that you don't already know?"

"Ah yes, I was getting to that before I went off topic. As I said, it is _speculated_ that Runes were invented for that purpose, to enchant items. But it seems that today's purpose of using it on inanimate objects was a side-effect discovered far later after the actual invention of Runes themselves. Have a guess, what were they originally used for?"

Shrugging, Harry took a wild guess, "Err, tattoos perhaps?" He jokingly answered. He could see the corners' of Hermione's mouth twitch at his joke.

"I'll actually give you half a point for that, Potter," Hermione spoke, "since Runes were apparently used in rituals way before they were used in enchanting. But, no, Runes were originally used to cast spells. To perform magic. Harry, Ancient Runes are the predecessor of what we know today as casting a spell!"

She didn't need to ask him whether he understood the implications because he clearly didn't, so she continued, "Our ancestors used Runes to perform magic. Let me explain it in more muggle terms. Before you found out you were a wizard, did you ever wish you had a magic wand that you could just wave around randomly and change things to your liking?"

A flash of hurt entered Harry's eyes but it disappeared just as quickly as it had appeared. "Yes, every day." He quietly answered.

Wanting to mentally smack herself for bringing up obviously unpleasant memories, Hermione pressed on, "Well, that was what I believe would've been part of the reason behind the invention of Runes. Harry, how do you cast a spell?" She asked, distracting him from his possibly miserable thoughts.

"Mhh, I think of the spell, focus, speak the incantation, follow the wand movement… and that's about it." He finished lamely, trying to think of anything else. That was basically it, wasn't it? You waved your wand in the required pattern, said the spell's name and it was successfully cast.

Hermione nodded, "Yes, that's how we're taught how to cast a spell. Wave the wand, speak the words, point it at whatever you want and the spell is performed. In our first few years there was quite a stress on proper wand movements as well as speaking the incantation perfectly so the spell would work. This doesn't explain non-verbal or even wandless magic, but we can discuss that later."

His mind spinning with all the new things Hermione explained to him, Harry took a seat and gestured to the plush chair across from his, which Hermione instantly occupied.

"But the books we have here detail a different form of casting magic. I think this is what wizards and witches used to cast magic before today's way of performing magic became popular. It may be quite a bit more difficult or harder to master than what we're used to, which would explain why it was quickly forgotten and replaced with the current form of spell casting."

"How does it work?" Harry, asked, the excitement rubbing off on him as Hermione virtually radiated it.

"I've only had a quick look at the summary that the Index provided, but essentially you use your wand to draw runes in the air and perform magic that way. Imagine your wand to be like a pen, writing out instructions on a piece of paper and the moment you're done whatever you wrote comes to life or just happens."

Harry's eyes widened at her words. Being the fighter that he was, his mind quickly tried to wrap itself around the concept. "Do you have to speak anything to use it?"

"I'm not sure, but I don't think so."

"So that means…" Harry started and Hermione nodded.

"Yes, it seems like it's naturally silent if you only use your wand and don't need to speak out any sort of incantation." She continued his train of thought.

"This could be very helpful 'Mione… let's start reading?" Harry grinned at her widening smile as she heard the words. She never would've believed that she'd hear those words coming from Harry's mouth as she grabbed the first book of the pile and carefully opened the ancient tome.

* * *

Hours later, Remus and Tonks lay next to each other on Tonks' bed, sitting up as their backs rested against the headboard. They were both covered in a thin, glistening layer of sweat and were both completely naked. They were close enough that their shoulders touched and a thin sheet was pulled up just past their crotches. Tonks' room was now far messier than it had been before Remus had invaded it. Their clothes were everywhere and in their lust they had pretty much kicked off the bed's comforter, most of the pillows and the sheets were very much untidy. The chair at the desk was knocked over, Remus' jeans had been thrown across the room towards the bathroom, Tonks' knickers were hanging from a lamp in the corner and she had no idea where her bra or sweatpants had gone.

The pair sat in silence as their amused eyes took in the chaos around them. Tonks leaned to her side to the bedside table to get something, giving Remus a prime view of her bare behind as she had to stretch a bit, pushing the covers down. He was sure that he'd be as stiff as his wand if they hadn't spent the past hours making sure that it wouldn't.

Tonks retrieved a pack of cigarettes and offered one to Remus. He raised an eyebrow at her and she merely shrugged. Taking one out of the pack, Tonks also retrieved a muggle lighter, lighting his cigarette for him. Igniting her own, she slowly took a deep drag and exhaled the smoke in a slow fashion for it to form a cloud. Throwing the pack and lighter back to the table, she threw him a sideways glance before breaking the ice.

"So, you said we have to talk." She said neutrally, trying to suppress a groan at how delicious he looked with cigarette in his mouth and a deep and thoughtful look in his eyes as little beads of sweat decorated his toned chest. If there was one good thing about being a werewolf, it'd have to be that one had a body many men would have to work hard for.

"Yeah," he started, blowing out some smoke, "we have to talk about us."

"Mhm," She nodded, "well start talkin', I'm all ears." Raising her cigarette to her mouth she gave him and expectant look.

Remus let out a sigh before turning his head to her to meet her eyes. The resignation once more turned into determination as he started speaking evenly, "I'm sorry Tonks, for everything. I'm sorry for letting you get close to me, to fall for me, and then to only push you away. I'm sorry for letting things get awkward between us; I'm sorry for hurting you by shutting you out. I'm sorry for trying to protect you as if you can't protect yourself. I'm sorry for making you cry. I don't know what you see in me, an old man, and a friendless werewolf to boot. I was gonna say that I'm poor as shit as well, but Padfoot took care of that I guess. But… But I want to change that, I want to try. I want to try being with you, to have a relationship with you, if you'll still have me, that is." He finished softly, his eyes shining with emotion as he poured his apology out to her.

Tonks didn't break eye contact with him as her mind processed his words. Her face was blank for a second before her features softened and her eyes brightened. Finishing her cigarette, she suddenly twisted her upper body and kissed him passionately. As he responded equally passionately, her arms took hold of his shoulders.

She broke the kiss after a moment and whispered to him softly, "I see a wonderful, loving, friendly and undeniably sexy man that can't see the beauty in himself. Of course I'll have you, Remus, I want you to be mine too."

The two shared another intimate kiss before Tonks rested her head against his chest and leaned against him and sighed in content.

After a few moments, Tonks hesitantly asked, "What… What made you change your mind? What brought all this on?"

Remus rested his head on hers and smiled into her hair and mumbled. "You can thank Harry for that."

"Oh? What did he do?" She asked, curiously. In her books, the last Potter had just scored massive bonus points. Maybe she'd teach him how to please Hermione or something, that could be some good fun.

"I think that's his story to tell, I'm sure you can convince him to tell you all about it." Remus answered.

Tonks got off his chest and pressed her naked one into his and purred. "Why don't you tell me, pleaaaaase?" She said seductively and Remus groaned at feel of skin on skin contact.

"Nope." He managed to say.

Tonks pouted and then shrugged, she'd just ask Harry then. Rubbing herself against Remus once more, she sneaked her hand down his abdomen under the blanket and took hold of a rather sensitive piece of equipment which made Remus gasp.

A devious smile played across her lips as she started having fun and again whispered into his ear seductively, "Why don't we have some more fun before taking a bath?"

A moan was all she got in reply.

* * *

Harry and Hermione quickly fell into a routine for the next two weeks. They had breakfast with Remus and Tonks in the morning, which was normally a lively affair. Now that Remus and Tonks had officially become an item, much to the congratulatory wishes of the two teens, the entire atmosphere of the house seemed lighter. Remus had seemed hesitant to accept Harry's well wishes at the start but the sincere look in his eyes had changed his mind – Harry was happy for him despite his harsh words and Remus was happy – maybe things were finally looking up for him. Breakfasts were normally filled with some good natured ribbing, a lot of teasing and excellent food provided by Dobby.

On the days Harry and Hermione had training, they trained hard. Dumbledore and Moody worked them ruthlessly on both the physical as well as mental side. They had gotten a lot better at using their surroundings to control fights and duels, now preferred to dodged instead of shielding and were always on their guard when they weren't in private – Moody liked to randomly assault them with all sorts of curses in the middle of a completely unrelated training session. The two now adapted far better to all sorts of situations that one would normally not find themselves in, ranging from sudden earth tremors during a duel to being ambushed by Tonks and Remus while they were in a two on one duel against Moody.

Moody increasingly used Remus and Tonks in their sessions, making dodging exercises far harder as well as being able to teach different kinds of spells. Harry and Hermione improved significantly in the two weeks, now able to hold their ground against Moody for almost half an hour, especially if they were fighting side by side like they preferred to.

Dumbledore had taken the more academic side of things but would sometimes mix it up by getting them started on more complex offensive spells. They had their Occulumency shields tested once a week by him and he had been complimenting them on their progress. The two had taken to improving their mental shields at night on the same days they had their training sessions on.

On the days Harry and Hermione didn't have sessions with Dumbledore and Moody, they were normally somewhere in the house reading their books on the Runic Magic. Remus and Tonks were often out of the house, Remus on Order business and Tonks on Auror duties, allowing them to use the library liberally enough. With the help of Dobby the two were never caught entering or leaving it and should it be needed, Dobby could pop them out of the library to their rooms, but funnily enough couldn't bring them back in magically; they had to physically enter the library to access it.

They learned a lot about the runes and Hermione finally found the basic instructions of how the casting system worked on what appeared to be a beginner's book which she had taken an immediate liking to. The two had a fun time getting used to the different expressions used all those years ago, but the Index was a great help in translating some of the sentences into a more manageable variation of the English language. Hermione had set them a certain array of Runes to be able to call upon from memory flawlessly before attempting any magic with them.

Rune Casting seemed to be largely intent based as well, at least having that similarity with the casting the wizards of the 20th century were familiar with. Using a levitation rune would only work when one focused on the proper object – it was if one was applying temporary runes to objects sometimes. Harry and Hermione could quickly see why it was more difficult than regular casting – the more magic you wanted to do, the more runes you needed to know as well as their uses. On the same note, they could also see the power of the system – it was far more flexible and allowed for a lot of experimentation and on-the-go creativity using the runes. Hermione leaned that the runes essentially shaped and melded the caster's magic, focusing it as the caster drew runes in the air instead of performing wand movements. The runes acted in a similar way to an incantation, giving the caster something to focus on while willing their magic to produce a desired effect.

To use any sort of complex magic, one normally had to first have a solid idea of what was generally supposed to happen when performing a spell and then stringing together the correct runes. Harry very quickly started to fall in love with its flexibility though. The Runic System was flexible in a sense that many spells could be performed quicker and easier than normally. Thinking back to the fight between Dumbledore and Voldemort at the ministry, he quickly found a way to visualise to for himself and Hermione. For instance, if he had to fight someone right now and wanted to blast a ball of fire at them, he'd have to know the proper spell and learn its use through experience and probably couldn't do so since he had no idea what the spell for that was or if there are different ones with different properties. However with the Runic System, all he had to do was imagine the fireball he wanted to create, draw the rune for the element fire and add so-called "modifier runes" – in this case one to modify the shape to be round, and then point his wand at his desired target as his magic was released.

This essentially eliminated the need to know any complex wand movements and long Latin incantations, all he and Hermione needed were the abilities to learn runes, their meanings, and how to draw them with their wands.

In the books Hermione had gotten from the library, they found many pre-existing rune combination, ranging from simple transfiguration to animation of inanimate objects just like Dumbledore had used against Voldemort, all the way to creating a meteor sized fireball. While the two noted the existence of those quickly, Hermione decided for the two of them to first learn their basic runes completely and then begin using small spells just to get used to not having to use incantations for complex spells. This was a topic she wanted to ask Dumbledore about, how silent casting worked. She knew both she and Harry had used many spells silently mere weeks ago in the Ministry, but that could easily be shrugged off as adrenaline. She hypothesized that one could instinctively perform a spell silently if one knew how the casting of it should feel. Harry pointed out that she could just consult the library and she almost smacked herself for forgetting – perhaps she could find many more explanations for the things that Dumbledore seemed to do effortlessly, conjuration and mass transfiguration with a flick of his wand and if Harry's retelling of the battle between him and Voldemort was accurate, doing complex spells such as bending the elements to his will with a mere flick and swish of his wand.

The duo normally spent their lunches in the library when Remus and Tonks weren't around; otherwise they had it with them in the kitchen. Whenever the two weren't studying, they were relaxing and doing things Harry never got to do such as taking walks around the park near the house. They liked to goof around on the small playground and Hermione had never seen Harry at such ease when he went down the slides.

Dinner was normally held in the kitchen with Remus and Tonks was usually quite entertaining. The two adults gave them updates on the things happening in the Order as well as the Ministry. After dinner everyone retired to their floors, Harry sharing the couch in the Drawing Room, dancing the same dance every night of teasing each other gently, holding another as they drifted into bliss.

* * *

One Thursday Dumbledore entered the kitchen, looking as chipper as always. Accepting a mug of coffee from Dobby, Dumbledore sat down and smiled at the four. It was plain to his old eyes that they were good for each other and had come a long way from the day that he had dropped Harry off here. The downcast looks were replaced with small smiles and a positive atmosphere existed around them.

"Today is going to be a short day for you, Miss Granger and Mister Potter. Today we do not train for I will take you on an important mission with me. We are going to visit an old acquaintance of mine; one that Remus here is quite familiar with – Horace Slughorn." He said as the quartet finished their breakfast.

Remus looked surprised at Dumbledore's words. "Slughorn? My old potions professor?"

Dumbledore nodded. "Indeed, the one and only."

"What are we visiting him for, Professor?" Hermione asked.

With an amused look, Dumbledore winked and answered, "All shall be revealed in time. If you and Mister Potter could get changed, we will be on our way."

Half an hour later the two teenagers found themselves standing outside a non-descript muggle home. As they approached the property, Dumbledore came to a halt outside the front gate, motioning for the two do the same. His eyes were surprisingly hard and determined, and he spoke clearly without a hint of amusement.

"We are here to gain a vital piece of information against Voldemort. As I said to you two a few weeks prior, there are several clues we can follow up to find out more about his Horcruxes." The Headmaster started, looking quite serious. "Horace Slughorn was one of Tom Riddle's professors during his time at Hogwarts and easily the one closest to him at that time. I have asked him this many times for I am certain that he knows more about Tom and his Horcruxes than he has shared with me. After much persuasion I had convinced him to share the memory, only to find out that the most vital part of it had been tampered with. We are here to retrieve the original copy of that memory for it is vital that we know all we can about the soul containers."

"How can we help?" Harry asked plainly.

With the twinkle in his eyes returning, Dumbledore started walking towards the house while he spoke, "You see Mister Potter, Horace has a particular liking towards, shall we say, interesting people. I think with Harry Potter himself and the best student Hogwarts has seen in decades, persuading him should not be too difficult."

Harry groaned and Hermione gave him a sympathetic grin. "Well at least my fame's good for one thing."

* * *

Three hours later the trio found themselves back at Grimmauld Place with Dumbledore. They all looked a bit worn out – it certainly hadn't been as easy to get the memory out of Slughorn but they had managed it eventually. It had ended with Harry's wand in Slughorn's face, and emotional rant about if Slughorn "knew" his mother so well, he'd play his part in helping Harry avenge her and not let her death be in vain.

The conversation had started simple and genuine enough, Slughorn had taken an immediate interest to Harry and Hermione. Hermione due to Dumbledore's continued praise of her academic excellence and undying bravery in the face of danger, and Harry because, well, he was Harry Potter. Slughorn had eventually mentioned Harry's mother and things had started snowballing out of control there. Dumbledore excused himself to the bathroom and Harry had taken charge and gotten right down to the crux of the matter which had caused the old potions master to become extremely defensive and curt.

Things had quickly escalated further and Slughorn had given up the memory in tears after Harry and Hermione had tag-teamed him into an extreme guilt trip. Dumbledore apologized on the way out for having to use Harry's heritage and fame in such an emotionally taxing way but Harry had waved it off. If these were the things it took to hunt down the Horcruxes he'd gladly dance naked in Diagon Alley while giving an "ask me anything" type of interview to Rita Skeeter any day of the week. This had lightened the mood somewhat and Dumbledore had apparated them back to Grimmauld Place.

They appeared in the kitchen and Harry unceremoniously dropped himself in a chair. Hermione gingerly sat down next to him and gave him a small smile.

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled as he spoke, "I shall return to Hogwarts and study this memory. Given that we have destroyed the Diary and Locket, we will hopefully learn how many more Tom has made. I will return on Monday and we shall see what I will have discovered by then. Rest for today and take a bit off time off, after all I did promise you two a shorter day than usual."

The Headmaster disapparated and left his two students alone in the newly refurbished kitchen of the Black Family home.

Dobby popped into existence and immediately fussed over Harry as he started preparing lunch for the two.

* * *

Tonks found Harry later that night standing on the balcony in Buckbeak's room with his hands in his pocket as he enjoyed the gentle breeze of the summer night. The sun was half way hidden behind the horizon and Harry's hair gently flowed with the breeze.

Hermione was in the kitchen with Remus discussing advanced human transfiguration. She and Harry had studied a bit of Runes before calling it a day. Apparently Hermione's idea of "taking it easy" for a day was discussing transfiguration with Remus in preparation for her sixth year. Harry had chuckled and said he'd go relax upstairs for a bit.

He heard the footsteps come to a stop next to him and turned his head as he glanced at the young Auror. They stood in silence for a few moments as they appreciated the view over the other rooftops surrounding the house, taking in the soft orange glow of the sunset.

"How was work?" Harry asked nonchalantly.

"Same shit, different day. Heard you had a little trip with Dumbledore today?" She replied with a shrug.

"Yeah, it was pretty intense."

Tonks murmured in understanding and the two fell into a comfortable silence again.

"There's been something I've been meaning to ask you." Tonks started again, still looking at the horizon.

A short "hmm?" was all she got in return.

"Remus wouldn't tell me, but he said that I can thank you for him changing his mind about being in a relationship with me. Care to explain to me how you achieved that."

Harry's eyes hardened a bit and his lips formed a thin line. "I don't think you'll like it very much. It's probably better for me to not tell you that story." He said quietly.

"Please Harry, I need to know. I need to know what you could've done that could've possibly gotten through his thick skull." Tonks pleaded quietly.

Harry sighed. "Just don't get too upset at me, okay?" Tonks looked at him curiously which prompted him to continue. "I, err, punched him. A few times."

Tonks' eyebrows shot into her hairline as she looked at him in disbelief for a few seconds. "That's all? That's all it took?" She asked incredulously.

"I also said a few things to him. A few not-so-nice things." Harry elaborated. Feeling her inquisitive gaze, Harry kept staring straight ahead as he let out another sigh and explained to her just exactly what he had told the old werewolf.

Tonks turned back to the sunset with an unreadable expression. "I see. I can understand why Remus didn't want to talk about." She said after a while. "I don't really agree with the need to punch him but I think he really needed to hear that and you were the only one who could've said that to him. So I guess I have to thank you." She finished lightly and smiled at him.

Harry gave her a small relieved smile as he realized she wasn't mad at him for hurting Remus like that. Much to his surprise Tonks pulled him into a tight hug and gave him a peck on the cheek. She laughed at Harry's small blush and released him.

"No need to be shy you little devil." She teased him, causing him to roll his eyes and look back over the rooftops surrounding Grimmauld Place.

"I can't help it, the only other person who's ever done that to me is Hermione…" Harry replied quietly, not really feeling comfortable with the topic.

"Hmm," Tonks murmured to self as she tapped her index finger against her lips in thought, "Well then I'll help you get that awkwardness! It's the least I can do, no?"

Harry turned his head to face her with his left eyebrow raised. Tonks smiled at him mischievously and said, "You're growing on me Potter, you handsome loverboy. I don't really have many friends my age that I get to hang out with, plus I've always wanted a little brother to play with." Tonks explained and stuck her tongue out to him.

A faraway look came into Harry's eyes at her words. "Besides, we're related to an extent, aren't we? Family's gotta stick together, y'know." She nudged his shoulder and his eyes snapped back to her. He gave her a bright smile.

"You're not so bad yourself, Tonks." His smile vanished as a solemn look came over his face. "I never thought about it that way, but yeah, we're distantly related. The thought of having something like a family… it's… very comforting. Thanks for reminding me." He explained quietly.

Tonks pulled him into another hug and gently whispered into his ear, "Everyone who's close to you is family, Harry. If anything, Remus and I and of course, Hermione, will always be there for you. You're not alone in this war, never forget that, okay?"

Harry nodded slowly as his mind processed his words. He smiled as she released him and gave her a small grin as he said, "I always wanted a big sister to play with me, so I guess that works fine for me."

Tonks grinned back and ruffled his hair. The pair turned back to the sun which had almost disappeared entirely behind the horizon. After a while, Tonks spoke thoughtfully, "You know, the things that apply to Remus also apply to you to an extent."

"Huh?" Was all Harry could reply with as Tonks slowly made her way towards the door leading into Beaky's room.

"You're not the only one who sees her beauty, Harry. Don't let her wait for too long, make your move soon."

With that, Tonks slowly entered the room, and Harry stared at the place she had just stood at, her words ringing in his ear. While she hadn't named "her" Harry knew very well just who she was referring to. Hermione.

Taking a deep breath, Harry called out, "Tonks!"

The Auror turned around in surprise as she was about to leave the room and go back downstairs. Her idea had been to leave him up here to mull over her words and his feelings until he was ready to talk about it to someone or make a move in typical Gryffindor fashion.

"Yes, loverboy?" She asked.

"Can… can you stay for a while? What you said is… something I need to talk about with someone and I think you'd be better than Remus… and I obviously can't go and talk to _her_ about it, can I?" He finished with a small smile.

Surprised that he'd want to talk about it that quickly, she came back out to the balcony and conjured two chairs for them to sit on. Harry sat down and looked to be fighting and inner conflict before sighting and leaning back in his chair and closed his eyes.

"I think I'm falling in love with Hermione." He admitted and if his eyes had been open he would've seen a radiant smile on his adoptive sister's face.

* * *

Dumbledore let out a heavy sigh as he raised his head from the pensieve. He should've anticipated that the young Tom Riddle would set out to create _seven_ Horcruxes as that number was the magically most powerful one in Arithmancy. This certainly complicated things. His research had revealed that the creation of a single Horcrux would normally destabilize one's magic, mind and body. He found it difficult to fathom that Voldemort could function to this extent with his soul split into at least seven separate parts. _'His magic must be far more volatile than he lets on,' _the old warrior of the light mused, _'his body looked fragile too. Our duel did not last long enough for me to accurately gauge his power, but I do not believe that he could duel at our level for very long with the constant strain on his mind and soul.'_

He extended a hand to rotate a circular cabinet filled with vials of memories until he reached the section labelled "Tom Riddle." If the locket and diary were any indication then Riddle must've used items that were of some sort of significance to him. _'Maybe I need to look into the other founders as well, it is certainly possible that Tom hunted down their items once he finished his seventh year.'_

And with that he extracted three vials containing his earliest memories of the child that would eventually become the strongest Dark Lord of his time and sighed. It was going to be a very long weekend for the old man.

* * *

Harry and Tonks were still on the balcony an hour later as Harry had hesitantly explained his confusion and emotions.

"When… when I asked Remus what love was, he said that to him it was sharing a bond with someone so that you can't go a single day without thinking about them. He said that it was placing their happiness over your own and being willing to sacrifice yourself for them and drop anything to be there for them and that you get to know them inside out and accept them for who they are, regardless of any negatives and positives."

Tonks nodded with a smile, knowing that those exact words applied to both herself and her lover.

Harry fiddled with the hem of his plain white shirt before he continued quietly, "All of those are things that I'd do for her."

"Do you think she'd do the same for you? Do you think she always thinks about, ready to be there for you instantly and accepting you unconditionally?"

"Yes." Harry replied with no hesitation. "At least I think so. She's been with me through everything, she's saved my life more than I can recall and we're… I don't know what we are anymore, Tonks. We're best friends but at the same time it feels like we're very quickly becoming more. I can't stop thinking about her! I can't even imagine what it'd be like to not see her for a day these holidays, that's how integrated she is into my life. I am so dependent on her and I think I've always been. "

Tonks' hair changed colour to a deep violet as she leaned forward and gazed into his eyes. "Well… what are you confused about then? From what you said earlier, you two growing closer and closer. Tell me where you feel the problems are, Harry." She said slowly, her eye never leaving his.

"Well… for one there's the war. I mean if she and I… you know… get together," Harry replied with a tint to his cheeks, "wouldn't that make her a massive target for Voldemort? I don't want to endanger her."

Harry reeled back as Tonks basically leaped from her chair and came face to face with him, her eyes blazing. Her voice was calm and controlled as she spoke to him, "Are you listening to yourself, Harry? You're using the exact same argument as Remus did. Stop being a hypocrite!"

"That was completely different… He doesn't have Voldemort after him and…" Harry tried but stopped at Tonks' facial expression.

"No, it's exactly the same thing. In the end it doesn't matter what you're up against, a werewolf can rip me apart as easily as Voldemort could. Now tell me Harry, in a duel between yourself and Hermione right now, who would win?"

Harry was surprised at her question, her face still close to his, as he thought. "Umm, we'd probably be equal, but what does it have to do with anything?"

His answer seemed to annoy Tonks even further as she sat back in her chair and sighed. "So you even acknowledge that she's as strong as you are? Then how can you say that you can't afford to endanger her any further? Be realistic here, Harry. She's already a target for being your best friend and muggle-born – those two things are public knowledge. You say yourself that Hermione is capable of taking care of yourself because if you considering yourself strong enough to be in this war then you have to think the same of Hermione because she's as powerful as you are. I think you would've learned over the years not to underestimate her."

Harry sighed. She had a point, a very realistic one. Before he could reply, Tonks leaned forward again and placed her hand on his knee. "Look, Harry. Don't try and convince yourself that you can't have a relationship with Hermione. You know her better than anyone else and the same goes for her. Do you really think she'd let you push you away? What do you think she'd do if you told her you can't be with her because of the war? She'd rip you a new one, that's what. Harry, she's already convinced her _parents_ to leave the country to be at your side. I don't think I need to tell you that she could've gone with them if she had truly wanted to."

The teenager nodded mutely. "But… but what about Ron? I mean he's my best mate too and I think he fancies her too…"

Tonks let out a laugh. "Yeah, and? She's spending her time with you and not him, isn't she?"

The green eyed young man sat back in his chair and looked at the now dark sky. Tonks was right and he knew it. There was no flaw in her argument and his interaction with Hermione recently was just proving her right. Without her support he couldn't _function_ properly, she was that important to him.

There was one last point he needed Tonks' opinion on. "But… I don't know Tonks, I don't know what love feels like. What it's supposed to feel like. I have nothing to compare it to, I mean I know there are all kinds of love but I have no idea what romantic love is supposed to be like."

Tonks gave him a small smile and got up. She ruffled his hair again and said, "Then she will teach you, trust me. Talk to her Harry, and as I said, don't take too long to make a move. You two are growing closer and closer and it's obvious, at least to me, that it's a matter of time before you two will officially be more than friends. Come see me anytime if you need to talk, alright?"

Seeing him nod thoughtfully, she waved her wand and the chair disappeared beneath him, causing him to glare at her as he got up and rubbed his rear.

"Let's go tiger, I'm starving!"

* * *

Dinner was an interesting even once more. Dobby had served them excellent Spaghetti Bolognese that the four had enjoyed. Harry sat next to Remus, facing Hermione and Tonks. He kept shooting speculative looks at her which she certainly picked up and looked back in wonder which normally cause Harry to immediately lower his eyes and look at his food, confusing Hermione further.

Tonks couldn't suppress her grins and winked at Remus who had picked up on the byplay too. He shot his lover a questioning look and she winked as if to convey she'd explain later. Remus accepted this and they carried on normally, Tonks sharing some funny stories about her co-workers.

A few hours later, Harry and Hermione sat on the couch they also slept on in their night clothes, enjoying a mug of hot chocolate by the fire, each reading a book.

"Harry?"

"Hmm?"

"I think of the best things about the Runic casting is the fact that you explore so many possible ways to achieve a single thing. That candle for example. I can think of at least 3 separate ways to ignite it. I think this flexibility is going to be a really powerful factor when we… you know, need it." She said as she looked up from her book.

Harry looked up from his and met her eyes as he nodded. "That's true and I agree. I never thought of magic to be this flexible and adaptable. I mean I think I could manipulate a single candle to burn big enough to set this entire house on fire and you said that elemental manipulation like that is far beyond NEWT level. You really outdid yourself this time by finding this, Hermione. You never fail to amaze me with your brain!"

Hermione blushed under the praise and grinned. The two kept reading for a bit and Harry eventually closed his book before looking up at her.

"It's not just your brain that constantly amazes me, you know." Harry started again, startling her as she looked up from her book in surprise. Seeing the smouldering look in his eyes she cocked her head to the side and raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

"Yes, really." Harry said, his leg brushing up against hers.

"Then please elaborate, Mister Potter, on how else I fascinate you." She said in a whisper as their books lay on the table, long forgotten.

Harry put his arm around her and she placed her head in the crook of his arm. "Well, for one you're drop-dead gorgeous." He started in a serious voice.

Feeling that she was about to argue the point, Harry continued, "No Hermione, you are. I don't think you understand how beautiful you are to me. You're everything I could ever ask for… when it comes down to it, there's no one I'd rather have by my side. Your personality is so deep… I know you like to see yourself as a know-it-all bookworm with bushy hair and you use your bossy side to hide your insecurities."

He could feel her stiffen in his arms. "Hey, we've spent five years together, every meal, almost every class and most of our free time. I'm not great at these things but I do notice some things. The way you look away when Lavender or Parvati talk about girl stuff, about how guys check them out, the way you bite your lip and look away when you notice some guy look at you across the great hall during meals, and the way your eyes flash in hurt when some bigot insults you before they either become emotionless as you ignore them or they become angry if the right buttons are pushed."

"And you're loyal Hermione, so very loyal. I told you were the only to stick to me when no one else would. You're smart enough to be the best Ravenclaw could ever beg for, but the Sorting Hat put you into Gryffindor because you're braver than you are smart and that is something you prove to everyone on a regular basis."

She looked up at him and gave him a genuine smile. He could feel a few wet spots in his shirt but her eyes were dry now. Harry grabbed his wand and flicked it a few times to lower the fire to a low simmer, lock the door and turn off the lights. He summoned the blanket that Dobby had laid out on one of the big cushioned reading chairs.

Harry gently pushed Hermione like she had the first time they had shared the couch, so that her head came to rest on the pillows at the end of the couch, her eyes never leaving his. Harry pulled his legs onto the couch as well but surprised her by not lying down next to her. Instead he moved his knees so that they were between hers and she spread them slightly on impulse. Harry put his arms on either side of her midsection as he lowered himself and whispered, "And this summer I get to meet the side of you that no one else can see, an incredibly fun girl with a great sense of humour who helps me through the hardest of times…"

He leaned down and gently pecked her on the cheek, letting his lips linger on her skin a fraction longer than she thought he would. She could feel his warm breath against her cheeks and it excited her to indescribable extents as she let out a shuddering breath of her own.

His smile was infections as she saw her flushed look as he pushed himself back up a bit, holding himself up on his arms. Hermione was acutely aware of the lack of distance between their groins.

She raised a hand and ran it along his cheek into his unruly locks. Giving him a shy smile she hesitantly said, "I'm only like this around you Harry. I too get to see a different side of you this summer, the one that studies with me, the one that's a lot shyer than what people see of you at Hogwarts, but also the side of a sweet gentleman who treats me like no one ever has…" She spoke softly, running her hand from his hair down his shoulder to rest on his tense arm that was holding him up.

"Do you… do you like this side of me?" He asked quietly, gaze locked with hers as he relished her soft hand tracing the contours of his tense muscles.

"Very much so…" She whispered in reply.

"Good," he murmured as he lowered his arm so he rested on his left elbow as his right hand ran up her side, along her stomach, "because I like this side of you just as much." The very tips of his index and middle finger slid over her shirt-clad right breast, causing her breath to hitch. He could feel Hermione's free hand slip under his shirt in retaliation, running it along his stomach and sides, causing him to shiver at the contact.

Her ministrations didn't withhold him from his own as his fingers continued their journey, coming to rest at her collarbone. They gently traced the outline of her collarbone, up the pulse line of her neck before gently running the tips of his fingers along her jaw. Their eyes never left another as Harry's fingers followed the contours of her face, tracing her cheekbone, gently running along the crevices of her ear, gliding over the side of her nose. They eventually, slowly, traced her lips which felt enticingly soft under his fingers. Harry's eyes flickered to her hips as they slightly parted as his fingers traced them and ran over them.

Harry slowly lowered his head to place a light kiss on Hermione's jawline. She could feel him lift his lips only to place him just adjacent to where he had just lowered them, repeating the action. Her heartbeat increased as Harry slowly butterfly kissed his way along her jawline stopping just short of her chin to move upwards. A sharp intake of breath was audible as his lips touched the corner of hers and lingered longer than the other little kisses had.

Lifting himself a bit, Harry made eye contact after taking in her face – her face was flushed, she was flustered, her breath quick. Her hand had come to rest on his lower back, pulling him against her as she enjoyed his touches.

His thumb ran over her slightly parted lips and her tongue slowly moisturised them slightly. Lowering his head, he locked eyes with her, stopping mere fingers' widths apart from her lips, his own heartbeat pounding and breathing ragged in arousal.

"May I?" Harry asked softly, smouldering green eyes locked with softly glowing chocolate ones.

A moment of silence passed between them, staring into each other's eyes before Hermione nodded, giving him permission. Their eyes closed slowly.

Time seemed to slow down as Harry gently lowered himself to cross the last bit of distance to gently press his lips against hers.

Their senses exploded into a myriad of feelings as they relished the feel of the other's soft lips upon their own.

And so, Harry and Hermione shared their first kiss. It was slow, gentle and had an innocent quality to it as their soft lips finally received what they had craved.

After a few moments, Harry slowly pulled away, his hazy pools of green meeting her now clouded brown orbs.

"Wow."

* * *

**Author's After…face: **Haha! They finally did it, the two kissed! Woohoo. Did you like it? I hope their first kiss meets your expectations. Lots happened this chapter, and sadly it's not quite 10k words long but I didn't want to add unnecessary things here and there, so deal with it. Now, we'll see how long they make their relationship official and how long it'll take them to say the three magical words. If anyone wonders at the detail of this kiss, it's quite closely written to how I personally experienced my first proper kiss and it's a memory I vividly relive when I need to and one I cherish the most.

I took a bit longer this time because I had some shit take up my time in my real life, but I should get more up soon. We also broke the 300 review mark which quite frankly, left me with the weirdest boner. Thanks a lot everyone, please keep reviewing if you feel this story deserves it.

Peace!


	7. Of private Celebrations & Goblins

**Harry Potter & The Runic Affinity**

**Final Author's foreword: **I have decided to move all my ramblings to the very end of each chapter, so this should be the final time you see what I have to say up here, before the chapter begins.

Oh, and another few of my favourite authors have taken a liking to my story: **broomstick flyer, MariusDarkwolf – **another two authors who have inspired me**. **Yay, this makes me happy. And even more, **Old-Crow **reviewed with some interesting questions that I'll have to address… Gah, I'm being blown away here! Thank you so much!

* * *

**Chapter 7: Of private celebrations and Goblins.**

The morning after the two teens shared their first kiss was an interesting one, at least for Remus and Tonks. To them it was blatantly obvious that something had changed the in dynamic before the two and there were several obvious signs pointing to it. Tonks immediately noticed them looking at each other just a bit longer than usual as they had their coffee, blushing slightly as they broke eye contact. Hermione had been beaming when they walked into the kitchen and a constant smile seemed to tug at Harry's lips as he entered behind her. They playfully nudged and swatted at each other, obviously unaware of their obviously increased level of physical interaction and gazes.

To Remus it was more his werewolf nose. He could quite literally smell their attraction to another and their increased levels of colour in their cheeks didn't go unnoticed by the observant Marauder. He turned to his girlfriend and raised an eyebrow and she gave a cheeky grin. She donned a grave expression and he followed her lead, shooting the two teenagers the most serious look he could muster on such short notice.

"Harry, Hermione," Tonks started, her voice grave, "there's something I must ask you."

Harry and Hermione looked up from their breakfasts at the Auror in surprise, her voice in complete contrast to the tone they had heard mere moments ago.

"What is it?"

Tonks broke her eye contact with Harry and shifted it to Hermione who looked back with wide chocolate eyes.

"Did you two use a condom?"

Harry reeled back in surprise and Hermione's mouth opened in shock as the two invented new shades of red with their faces. Neither Remus nor Tonks could maintain their charades and gave into the laughter that had been building from the second Tonks' words had left her mouth.

* * *

For the next week, Dumbledore and Mad-Eye seemed insistent on stepping up Harry and Hermione's training. The sessions now included both war veterans together more often than not. It quickly became clear that Harry had a thing for transfiguration as he preferred to use and abuse his surroundings to gain an edge over the opponents. Harry seemed to be proficient at dodging spells and using the environment to his advantage in his defensive manoeuvres. Whether he just enjoyed the adrenaline rush or not, Harry would always emerge with dirt covering his clothes as he dived behind earthy walls that he had transfigured mere moments before a spell hit the space he had occupied mere moments before. Improvisation and instinct seemed to be key to his style of combat.

Hermione on the other hand preferred a slightly different style to her partner. She would gracefully attempt to dodge as many of the incoming assault as she could. Her preferred method of defence was defensive charms when she couldn't dodge. When she found a gap in between the incoming spells she would retaliate viciously with a combination of strong hexes, jinxes, charms and curses. She would fire them at a rapid rate to suppress her opponents and find a way to disable them which often came by the way of Harry, who would use her barrage of spells as cover and flank their mentors.

They quickly became attuned to each other, being able to react to the other's movement instantly as they fought side by side in their training sessions as well as against each other. What Hermione lacked in terms of raw power and impulsive reaction she made up for with creativity and speed. Hermione and Harry's combinations had managed to catch even Moody off-guard more than he'd be willing to admit. Stunning spells and disarming jinxes were quickly replaced with far stronger and far deadlier alternatives, aimed at downing a Death Eater for an extended period of time or disabling them in such a manner that they'd not be able to fight without significant assistance from their allies.

* * *

It was the night before Harry's birthday when Harry found himself standing in his bedroom tugging nervously at his suit jacket as he examined himself in the mirror. He had moderately tamed his hair according to the way Hermione had taught him using the muggle product and had put on the outfit she had recommended. He wore a form-fitting black suit, the first one Hermione had picked out for him in the department store. Harry critically examined himself in the reflection of the mirror and sighed resolutely. _'I look about as good as I get, I guess.' _He thought to himself, glancing at the black slacks and matte black leather loafers. His shirt was a shiny white with the collar casually undone. This sort of wear was completely unfamiliar to him, having always worn his cousin's old clothing beneath his Hogwarts robes. If he was completely honest with himself, Harry thoroughly enjoyed the comfort and style of the garments and would perhaps seek for more occasions to wear them.

A small smile came to his lips as he thought about Hermione's insistence that she'd take him out for dinner the night before his birthday since they wouldn't have enough time on the actual day since people would be coming over to Grimmauld Place to celebrate. Remus had voiced concerns regarding their security but she had remained stubborn and wouldn't take any arguments, saying she and Harry were being trained by Dumbledore himself to be able to take care of themselves in any situation and that she would not let some Death Eater scum dictate the way she lived her life. Harry had opted for sitting in the background and let her do the talking, not wanting to get caught up in an argument.

The young man gave himself a resolute nod before opening the door of his room and stepping across the floor before coming to a stop outside the door of his dinner partner for the night. He initially thought that this dinner would be with Remus and Tonks too but they apparently had other things to do and Tonks only gave him an oddly stern look when he asked why they weren't coming. Shrugging it off, he accepted the fact that he'd go with only Hermione. The sound of his knuckles knocking against the wooden door leading into Hermione's room broke the silence of the first floor's hallway. A moment later a muffled voice came from inside Hermione's room yelled, "Wait outside for me, I'll be right down!"

"Okay." Harry replied with what Harry thought was a confident tone.

Tonks happened to walk up the stairs as he made his way downstairs. Her eyes roamed over his body critically before she waggled her eyebrows suggestively whilst grinning at him. "Why Mister Potter, who woulda thunk that you clean up like a hunk?"

Harry could feel himself blush from her words before letting out an exaggerated sigh. "Sheesh Tonks, any more and I'd think you were into the whole pureblood incest thing. Anything I should know before thinking of you as my "sister?"" He sniped back, grinning at her momentary surprise.

The Auror smacked him across the head lightly, "And he's got bite, too. Watch your back Potter, one does not simply mess with me." She retorted laughingly. The subject of her teasing shook his head before turning to continue his walk down the stairs.

"Oh, wait a second Harry." She said thoughtfully as he had travelled down two steps. Turning around Harry gave her a questioning look, not quite knowing what to make of the little gleam in her eyes. With a twist of her wand, Tonks conjured a muggle tissue pack that she threw him. Harry caught it lightly before giving her a puzzled look.

"Tissues? For me?"

Tonks grinned at him before looking in the direction of Hermione's room for a second. "Oh yes, you might need them."

"Why on earth would I need tissues?" Harry asked, growing more confused by the second.

"They're not for you, Harry… if you know what I mean." Tonks winked at him before coughing something along the lines of "wet" before stalking back up the stairs.

Harry looked down at the pack of tissues before shrugging. Pocketing them, just in case, he made his way down the stairs and stepped outside the house into the fresh summer evening air. A deep breath filled his lungs with the fresh air as he looked towards the sun which was in its final stage of disappearing behind the horizon. The wizard got lost for a moment in the beauty of seeing the summer sun set as the darkness of night approached before he got shaken out of his thoughts by two slim hands covering his eyes from behind.

"Guess who?" Came the voice from behind him in a playful tone.

"And what if I don't?" Was the playful reply.

"Hmm," Hermione huffed behind him, "I'm sure I can think of some sort of punishment." She let her hands fall away and Harry turned around quickly. She saw him open his mouth to say something but no sound was heard as he took in her appearance.

Hermione was wearing the second dress from the incident inside the changing booth at the department store. It was a pearly white and a tad more formal than the black one which Harry had seen her in as well. It stopped just past the mid of her thigh but was strapless. Against the slight cold of the summer night, Hermione wore a black feminine jacket.

His eyes told her everything she needed to know. The effort she had gone through, including the makeup and hair care had already paid off in double if this was his initial reaction. With a radiant smile she put her hand on Harry's jaw and encouraged him to close his mouth. "Shall we?"

A dumb nod was all Harry managed as his body automatically offered her his arm as they started walking away from Grimmauld Place.

* * *

Harry felt completely out of his element in the restaurant. It was a moderately sized Italian restaurant that seemed somewhere on the boundary of upper class if Harry had to judge by the sort of people occupying the tables around them. The women wore dresses, the men suits – to Harry the most casual looking person in the room was the guy playing the piano because he wasn't wearing a suit jacket. Most of the crowd seemed to be made of older couples than Harry and Hermione; the youngest ones seemed to be at least twice their age.

The waitress at the door immediately recognized Hermione and led the pair up the stairs, complimenting on how lovely they looked together. Harry blushed slightly in embarrassment, refusing to make the situation uncomfortable so he thanked her with a lopsided grin. Hermione blushed a bit more noticeably from the waitress' words, not used to the positive attention. Their table was in a secluded corner of the room, right at the window. One of the table's corners was placed so it touched the window, set so that the couple would sit perpendicularly to each other. Hoping to be on his best manners, Harry helped Hermione shed her jacket which he handed to the waitress before taking Hermione's hand to aid her in sitting down.

His reward was worth the effort as she beamed a radiant smiled at him as he took his own seat. Hermione didn't seem to feel out of place so Harry followed her lead as he had done many times before in non-life-or-death situations. The waitress returned and before Harry could even open his mouth to order a glass of water or soda, Hermione ordered a bottle of, and Harry was sure he had to be hallucinating at this point, red wine.

The waitress seemed to give the two an appraising look for a second before shrugging as she made her way back to the floor's bar to collect the wine.

Harry raised a surprised eyebrow at the lovely lady essentially sitting next to him, moving a bit closer so that their knees touched. "Wine?"

Hermione gave him a coy look before gently nudging his knee with hers before replying, "We're almost adults in the wizarding world and we've faced some of the hardest criminals our world has to offer… Think a bit of alcohol is out of your league, Harry?"

The boy in question chuckled at her joke before giving her most arrogant look he could muster given the circumstances. "I shall have you know Hermione, that I've had one of most deadly venoms known to wizard kind circulate through my blood and I survived that, so I believe that a bit of red wine won't be too much of a challenge."

It was Hermione's turn to laugh at Harry's humour. "But seriously, though, I've never had anything stronger than Butterbeer and, well, don't really know what to expect."

A comforting hand covered his as Hermione smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry Harry, it's not too strong, I've had it before with my parents. Besides, isn't this a good time to learn and explore some new things? I mean, after all, if we're already seeing new sides of each other…"

"Then we might as well see new sides of the mundane world, right?" Harry finished for her, resulting in her smiling at him brilliantly. "I hope you're gonna order something nice to eat though, because I have no idea what any of these dishes are so I'm just going to order the same as you and hope for the best."

Hermione laughed at his plan and agreed; she'd pick out something nice to eat that they'd both enjoy.

* * *

It was a solid hour later that Harry and Hermione finished the last pieces of their desert. They had also finished their bottle of wine which the two had taken an uncharacteristic liking to. Harry doubted he'd ever drink it on his own but with a nice plate of pasta and desert while in the company of none other than his sort-of-more-than-best-friend he definitely wouldn't say no to a glass… or two, or three.

The restaurant had started to clear out and Harry and Hermione loved the atmosphere. There wasn't much of view out the window, but the lack of lights from the buildings across the road made the stars stand out against the clear black sky. The two were leaning back in their comfortable chairs which had magically moved closer and closer to each other over the course of the dinner so that the sides of their legs were fully touching, rubbing against another gently now and then.

As a waiter cleared their table, Harry leaned forward with his elbows on the table before letting out a content sigh. "Thank you Hermione, for taking me here. I've never really been in a place like this and it means a lot to me that… you, you know, prepared this for me."

Hermione blushed prettily at the praise and thanks but waved it off. "You don't have to thank me Harry, besides I didn't do much. I made a reservation and forced Tonks and Remus to let us go on our own. That's all really."

"Still, thank you. I hope I can do the same for you one day." Harry said, honestly.

She nodded her appreciation before leaning over and gently kissing him on the cheek.

As the two left the restaurant after being complimented by the manager for making a lovely couple and that they should definitely come again should they feel like some good Italian food, the two slowly made their way towards Grimmauld.

The temperature was mild and Harry enjoyed the gentle breeze of the British summer. He looked over the happy looking young woman hanging on his arm. "What time is it, Hermione?"

"About 11pm." Came the reply after a slightly puzzled look.

"You want to go for a bit of a walk? We still have an hour before midnight so I thought maybe we could enjoy the night a bit longer…"

He needed to say nothing more as Hermione tugged on his arm and they started walking past the park they'd walk through later to get to Grimmauld Place.

They walked around the neighbourhood, not encountering a single living soul aside from the occasional cat making a run for it the second it was spotted. Harry's hand had found Hermione's the moment she had taken his arm to lead him away from the park at the start of the walk. They spent a good amount of time in comfortable silence, relishing the feel of the comforting summer night's winds. Harry stole the occasional glance at Hermione, admiring her slightly pink cheeks, and the way her dress magnificently filled out the dress he had bought for her.

Hermione met his gaze on occasion and smiled at him, wanting to lose herself in his green pools as they strolled around the area. They completed a large lap around a few blocks before finding themselves at the park's entrance again. Harry nodded towards it and Hermione replied with a nod, allowing him to lead her along the path through the park. They continued their leisurely walk, walking past the small playground near the pond. With a grin, Hermione suddenly let go of Harry's hand before yelling "First one to the swings wins!" as she took off as fast as she could… well, as fast as her dress permitted her to.

Harry laughed at her as she approached her top speed which equated to nothing more than a casual jog to him as he quickly caught up with her. Pacing his speed to match Hermione's speed, the two reached the playground's swings at the same time, laughing along the way at their silliness.

"I forgot about that," Hermione managed to get out as she laughed, "stupid dress."

Harry just nodded, still giggling at the silly sight of Hermione running across the path to get to the playground.

"While it might stop me from running, I don't think it'll stop me from swinging." Hermione said as she sat down on the swing, "Give me a push?"

Obliging, Harry got behind her and pulled her, along the seat of the swing, back as far as he could before giving her a moderate push, causing her to gently swing back and forth. Utilizing her legs, Hermione maintained the pace. Harry quickly got on the adjacent swing and started swinging too, thoroughly enjoying such a mundane activity.

"Heh," Harry started after a bit of silence, "it may be a few years late but I never thought I'd have someone to actually play with."

Hermione gave him a thoughtful look as they swung side by side before giving him a small, compassionate smile. "Yeah, me neither."

Her compassionate smile quickly turned into sly one. "But now you have me to play with if you ever feel like it." Harry chuckled at her tone.

"Duly noted, ma'am." Another period of comfortable silence settled upon them, the only noise penetrating the late hour being the rustling of leaves from the numerous trees located around them.

"I don't think I ever told you this, but," Hermione started as her swing slowly started to slow down, "I never had many friends when I was younger. In fact, I didn't have any."

Harry looked at her in undisguised surprise before quietly asking, "None?"

Hermione gave him a small smile before shaking her head. "None. Not until you jumped on the back of a troll to save me."

A solemn look of understanding crossed his features as he looked back into the darkness of the night. "I never had any friends either. In fact, I had no one, not until Hagrid took me to Hogwarts where I got to meet you and Ron."

Hermione hummed in agreement before jumping off her swing. Turning to him she gave him a bright smile. "Well now we have each other, don't we? Enough with the depressing talk, let's get back to Grimmauld Place so we can rest – after all, we have a birthday to celebrate tomorrow, don't we?"

Infected by her mood, Harry jumped off of his as well before taking her hand, leading her to the Order's Headquarters.

As they reached the front door, Hermione slowed their pace before taking a glance at her watch. It was a minute to midnight – the evening had gone by far quicker than she had thought. Harry was about to touch the door of the house to open it, but she stopped him with a gentle touch to the forearm as she stood next to him.

"What is it?" He asked.

With a smile, she stepped closer to him and put her arms around his neck, which came with the automatic response of his hands finding their way to her lithe waist.

"Happy Birthday, Harry." Was all the raven haired teen heard before Hermione closed the distance between them and captured his lips with hers. Reacting naturally, Harry pulled her closer by the waist and closed his eyes and responded to her soft, slightly moist, lips upon his with equal passion.

* * *

After a very comfortable morning with Harry waking up to Hermione squirming on top of him as she attempted to turn in her sleep, followed by a grand birthday breakfast prepared by Dobby, Harry found himself sitting in the same chair at Ragnok's desk that he had occupied a few weeks prior. To his right Hermione sat once more, to his left sat Tonks and Remus.

All five of them exchanged formalities and pleasantries before getting to business. Ragnok presented two small boxes to Harry and opened both of them for him. He placed them on the table and turned them so the opening faced Harry. The two boxes were a deep red and black respectively, the red one bearing the Potter crest while the black one bore the Black family logo. Harry peered at them curiously before giving Ragnok a questioning look. Ragnok leaned forward and smiled triumphantly, before gesturing to the two boxes which were the size one would get when purchasing an engagement ring.

"These, Mister Potter, are proof that your late godfather's plan has succeeded and both the Potter and Black estates are ready to accept a new head. These two boxes can only be retrieved from their respective sections in the family vaults when all legalities are taken care of and a new head is eligible."

Harry nodded slowly, understanding the goblin's words. "So, what do I do with them?"

Ragnok nodded, but leaned back in his chair. "Before I get to that part, I would like to impart on you the significance of what is about to happen. By going through this procedure, you accept responsibility of two Ancient and Noble families. This means you will be entitled to two seats in the Wizengamot, along with many other old families or influential government official. You will be responsible for all the future charges you accept into either family and will be considered an adult in the wizarding world. You will have full access to both families' fortunes and will have absolute control over any decision regarding your wealth. Do you understand, and accept, these conditions?"

After taking a deep breath, Harry looked to the people that were in attendance with him. Hermione wore and encouraging smile, Tonks seemed a tad awed and Remus grinned. Nodding to with determination, he said, "I do."

Giving the young boy a closed smile, Ragnok continued, "These boxes will grant you with a symbol of lordship over the two houses. You simply place your finger onto the cushions inside and let them work their magic."

"What kind of symbol?" Hermione inquired.

With a mysterious shrug Ragnok explained, "It varies from user to user, depending on what the magic considers appropriate for the current lord. It could be anything from a necklace to a ring to a pin. James Potter wore a ring, Sirius Black wore a bracelet. It is family magic."

Gesturing for Harry to go ahead, everyone leaned a bit forward to see what exactly would happen. Overcoming his hesitation, Harry simultaneously placed both of his index fingers into the boxes – his left one into the Potter box, his right one into the Black box.

Nothing happened for a moment. For a second Harry thought he had done something until he could feel… _something._

All eyes were locked onto the boxes with started emitting two lights – the Potter box seemed to radiate a bright red light, the Black box a deep purple one. Hermione, Tonks and Remus reeled back in surprise as the lights were seemingly _absorbed_ into Harry's fingers. Harry himself sat petrified, his eyes watching in amazement as he could feel the magic enter his body, feeling like a hot blob of water under his skin.

The two lights shone through Harry's skin as they slowly gained pace traveling through his fingers into his palm, through his wrist before they shot up to his elbow. The sensation was so foreign to Harry that he could not have explained it even if he had wanted to.

The red Potter light in his left arm seemed to stop at his elbow before moving back down onto the inner side of his forearm where it came to a stop. Similarly, the Black light moved down from his right elbow all the way back to his palm before coming to rest in his right ring finger.

After a momentary pause, the Black light flared bright and after Harry experienced a brief feeling of discomfort. After the light died down, he felt a new sensation around his ring finger. Everyone looked down at his hand and saw a ring adorn Harry's finger. It seemed fairly plain for a distant, but a closer look revealed it to be a ring made from black metal with an elongated part which had the Black Family Crest engraved in fine silver lines. The rest of the ring seemed to be covered in runes which Harry could not identify.

Before anyone could comment, the Potter light in Harry's left arm flared up, this time significantly longer than the first time. Harry hissed in pain as it felt like his left forearm was on fire. Before he could complain about it, the light subsided and faded into nothingness. As Harry had decided to wear a simple T-shirt, everyone could see his arm clearly and what the magic had done to it surprised everyone there. Instead of a piece of jewellery like the one he now wore on his right ring finger, Harry's forearm bore something akin to a muggle tattoo.

In the colours black, red and gold, a crest that Harry assumed was the Potter Family's symbol, adorned his forearm. He could identify a shield and two lions, as well as a Latin phrase on a banner below the shield. He curiously touched the skin the mark was on with his other hand only to find it perfectly healthy, not sore or bloody like he had expected.

Looking at Ragnok, the Goblin leaned back in his plush chair with an almost smug expression on his wrinkled face.

"Most interesting, Lord Potter. May I be the first to offer my congratulations and wish you a joyous birthday on behalf of the Goblin Nation." He said, inclining his head politely.

Harry nodded in thanks before gesturing to his forearm, "Is it normal that it turns into a mark like this?" All four humans in the room looked anxious to hear what Ragnok had to say as they had all expected Harry to get another ring or bracelet of some sort.

"I believe the term 'normal' is not quite applicable to family magic, Lord Potter. It is a very obscure branch of magic which has puzzled even the most stubborn of Goblin researches into submission so far. But by using logic and some sophisticated guesses, I believe we can make sense of the mark, no?" Ragnok spoke.

Hermione looked like she had figured it all out already, but Ragnok beat her to it. "First, the location of the mark. It is on your left forearm. Who else bears a mark on their left forearm?" At the look of realization in Harry's eyes, Ragnok nodded, "Indeed, Voldemort's Death Eaters do. The Potter Family is a family of the light and has been so for all of its recorded generations. Given your seemingly unavoidably frequent run-ins with the Dark Lord, this may be your family's magic recognition of your struggle against his power as well as sign of strength. Perhaps it is also a reminder of where you come from and what your ancestors and your parents have stood for."

Harry gently traced the outlines of his newly acquired mark with his hand as he thoughtfully nodded at Ragnok's words. The Goblin continued, "Also, it is a magical mark. It is permanent, I believe far more permanent than something such as the Dark Mark Voldemort employs. It signifies your eternal bond to the Potter family; it is not something that can just be taken off like a piece of jewellery. It could also imply eternal defiance against your adversary, I am unsure."

Silence reigned the room as the four wizards and witches took in the Goblin's words. A soft smile tugged at Harry's lips as he absentmindedly touched the tattoo. Now he had something to forever remind him of his family and what they stood for.

"Now, how about I show you your vaults, Lord Potter, while we discuss the management of your account."

Harry and his entourage received an exclusive tour of the Black and Potter vaults, both of which were mightily impressive to say the least. Aside from the seemingly endless piles of Galleons, there were many family heirlooms, ranging from clothing to jewellery to weaponry to various artefacts.

Griphook lead them from chamber to chamber, highlighting some features. He also outlined the Potter and Black investments in both the muggle and wizarding worlds. "Since you are still a student at Hogwarts, we could offer to take care of the day to day businesses regarding your wealth for you. Significant investments would still need your approval, but such communication would be easy with an appointed Vault Manager, someone to act as your representative here at Gringotts."

"Would it be possible for me to choose my Vault Manager myself?" Harry asked, relieved that the Goblins were willing to help since he didn't know a single thing about money and investing or businesses. He had spent the better part of his life to now in technical poverty in the muggle world, so he'd need someone to teach him how money actually worked. As Sirius said in his Will, having the Goblins manage his money seemed like a great idea so he wouldn't have to stress with extra work while at Hogwarts.

"Of course. I could provide a list of potential candidates for the position, should that be convenient for you." Ragnok offered.

"Actually, I already had someone in mind. Since I've already met Griphook a few times and know him already, I was wondering if he could take the job. So far he's done a great job at helping me with anything I've requested and he seems nice enough." Harry said.

Ragnok looked almost surprised before chuckling deeply. "Very well, Lord Potter, it shall be done. Teller Griphook will be notified of his new assignment immediately."

* * *

**Author's Rambling Time: **Right, hi everyone. So first of all, once more, thanks for the reviews – what I'm actually more blown away by is the amount of favs and alerts this story has been getting! Much appreciated. I've stumbled across my own story on several fav's lists of authors whose stories I've been reading lately and it's an odd feeling to be listed on the same lists that feature some of the biggest names in the community… Wow.

Also we broke 400 reviews – fuck yeah. I love you all. Sorry for the slow update, you know how life gets. Reason I didn't update was because I moved to the Philippines. I'm studying again, at a University. It's been very hectic and I just got through my first midterm exams, so life is stabilizing for now. I'll be updating again soon, so stay tuned. This is the shortest chapter so far, but I thought I should end it there in order to not take away from the cute little dinner date. Next chapter will be huge once more.


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